Timeless
by ZaraShade
Summary: 'It was an impossible story, an impossible life-time, but she couldn't help but feel that this time they had the chance to do it right.' What if Magnus wasn't alone when she followed Adam? Major season four spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, now I know I should be updating Telepathic (and I will), but this idea kept nagging at me and wouldn't leave me alone, like a thirsty Nikola locked out of the wine cellar. ;)**

**Since I'm such a Teslen shipper (oh the shock! You didn't see that one coming, did you? :P) I just **_**had **_**to do a Teslen version of ITB. It couldn't be helped. **

**I also just randomly noticed that a lot my Sanctuary fics start with the letter 'T', which is a complete accident, but I'm going to pretend it's deliberate. Even though I just told you it's not. Sorry for that ramble. **

\|\\\

2011 (The end of 'Uprising')

"Years?" Will echoed. His mind was instantly kicked into rearing at a hundred thoughts a second, considering the possibilities, the logistic of what she was saying being true – the magnitude of it if it were. One hundred and thirteen years, hell, he hadn't even lived for a half of that time.

"Oh, that's not even the beginning," Helen said, her lip quirking upwards in that Magnus fashion.

"There's something more shocking than you following a madman back in time and then reliving a hundred and thirteen years from the sidelines?" Will said sceptically. She smirked once again in her Magnus way. "I need to be sitting down for this, don't I?"

"Mmm," she agreed with a little smile, "With a '56 Bordeaux I should think."

Will couldn't suppress the nagging feeling as she said that. He narrowed his eyes slightly as the lift dinged to signify its readiness to transport it's passengers. Helen held out arm to gesture to the lift.

"Shall we?"

She didn't wait for a response, as if she ever did, and entered the lift, leaving her confused protege to trail in her wake.

"Don't tell me," Will couldn't hide the sigh that escaped his lips, "It's a long story."

"Oh, you have no idea," Helen said.

\||\\

Will followed Magnus as she exited the elevator. Her heels clacked on the polished wooden floors and he realised they were headed to the library. It was as good a room to do this as any, he supposed. Though why they weren't going to her office he didn't know. He'd had another thought though in the elevator ride and he was trying to make a few quick calculations in his head. Magnus grinned and he realised he must be busted.

"It makes me two-hundred and seventy three, Will," she said.

"I wasn't..." he said, awkwardly. His mother (from those precious fragments of her he could remember) had always told him it wasn't nice to inquire as to a woman's age. The story behind that particular lesson had derived from an awkward incident with one of her colleagues, but that was another issue. The lesson had stayed with him nonetheless. But, then again, he doubted his mother had had a two-hundred and seventy-three year old woman in mind while dishing out that particular life lesson.

Magnus, for her part, just grinned knowingly.

She pushed the door to the library open and walked inside. It must feel odd for her, being back here in the place that was so much a part of her, after such a long absence. His chest immediately panged for her when a realisation hit of just how hard it must have been for her, and here they'd only been without her for a few hours.

They didn't stop at any of the regular central tables in the library, but he followed as she weaved through several shelves to a more secluded area. Two chairs and a settee all in matching green velvet and gold trimming were set up to make a small, private reading area. He was sure the furniture held an interesting story – as so many of Magnus's possessions often did – but he'd never got around to hearing about it.

On the coffee table between the pieces sat a bottle of what Will assumed was the 1956 wine. But what confused him was that there was not two but three wine glasses to accompany the bottle.

It was then that he noticed the figure seated in one of the chairs.

"You took your time, ljubavi," Nikola Tesla drawled. He was seated in a relaxed manner. But Will had known the cocky vampire long enough to know he was still scrutinizing the situation with keen perception.

"I had a few loose ends," Magnus offered with a small, apologetic smile.

Will looked at her, and then at the vampire, and frowned. They seemed to be having a silent communication and it disconcerted him. It screamed of intimacy and comfort. Didn't they usually spend their time bickering? Wasn't Magnus's go to response to Tesla a sigh of exasperation?

"I see that poor protege is confused, my dear," Nikola said. He grinned wolfishly – or perhaps 'vampishly' – as he stood and brought his hands together.

"Nikola, I did just tell him I've been gone for over a hundred years," she said. Ah, exasperation, that was a good sign. Wasn't it? But it felt more amused. It was more like they were playing, were teasing, and Will wasn't sure what to make of it. Sure, they teased a lot before, if you could consider it that, but this felt different. Something about them felt different.

"Helen, he wasn't the one who travelled in time," Nikola said.

"Come, let's sit," Helen said, ignoring Nikola for the moment.

Will usually wasn't much of a big wine drinker, but he decidedly needed a drink now. He sat next to Magnus on the settee and Nikola reclaimed his armchair. Helen swiped the bottle of Bordeaux before Tesla could, offering the vampire a pointed look as she did so too – to which Nikola chuckled – and poured a generous amount into each glass.

"Magnus," Will said, a bit softly, still aware of Tesla's presence. But he wanted to say this now instead of waiting for the vampire to vacate the room. When it came to Magnus, one never knew when Nikola would be gone, he tended to hover around her.

"What is it, Will?" she said.

"I..." he said, not sure how to say what even he himself wasn't sure of, "I just want you to know that... I'm here if you ever need to, you know, talk. I am a psychiatrist after all and what it must have been like for you...all those years."

"That's sweet, Will," she placed a gentle hand on his arm, "Though I doubt you could truly understand. No one could... except." her eyes drifted over to Tesla.

Will looked over at Tesla too. He was grinning from ear to ear again in that alarmingly vampiric way. His mind was once again thrown into overdrive by Magnus's statement and he turned his eyes back to his ever-confusing boss. He must have been looking more like a lost puppy than even he'd thought because Magnus soon took pity on him.

"Yes, Will," she said, "I wasn't alone all of those years, nor was I alone upon journeying into the past. Nikola too travelled back to 1898."

\||\\

2011 ('Into The Black')

"My father's walking stick," she said. There was a breathy edge to her voice as her eyes remained transfixed, yet unseeingly, on the ornate cane. She'd already lost him once, twice even, she didn't know if she could handle losing him again. He had been the first person she had truly lost. She'd been so young, comparatively and even not, and they'd only just injected themselves with the blood. Then she had lost her father. It had been the pebble before the avalanche of death, and yet it had been the one that had hurt her the most up until Ashley.

"I'm sorry, Helen," John said, and she believed him. He did seem to be regrettable about Gregory's death. But she wasn't sure as to the extent of his apology. It couldn't bring Gregory – or any of the thousands of lives that had been lost in the destruction of the great city – back. Hollow words in the hollow city, how apt.

She steeled herself. There would be time for mourning later. Now, she had a job to do. If there was one thing she could say about her experience with loss it was that she had become good at compartmentalizing. Though she wasn't sure that was a good thing at all.

"Adam's lab was this way, in the tunnels," John said. He seemed to, thankfully, understand her need to just focus on the task at hand here. Or perhaps he recognized, and for once respected, that she didn't want to speak to him in this moment.

She allowed John to lead her down into the tunnels towards Adam and his impossible experiment. She couldn't believe what he was trying to do. Even if time travel were somehow possible, and she'd seen far too much to simply rule it out, it was too dangerous to ever dapple in. How did they know what the simplest of actions could irreparably alter in the future? No, it was territory that even Helen Magnus's desire for knowledge did not dare dwell for too long. Even she would not dare go there like Adam was, even for his daughter.

For the briefest of moments, the thought of being able to save Ashley had flitted through her mind. But she couldn't do that, not at the expense of millions, billions, of lives. She'd been forced to make that choice once and it had killed a part of her along with her daughter. But she wasn't selfish enough to callously erase the lives of others for her own gain. She wouldn't able to live with that and nor would Ashley.

They'd found Adam's seemingly abandoned lab, and Helen had sent John back to warn the others while she worked. She had been able to sense from the start that something wasn't right. There was something John wasn't telling her, or the answer was hiding in plain sight. As it was, the answer – or at least the man they sought – was quite literally hiding in plain sight.

"There's my favourite dysfunctional couple," Adam was grinning. He was going to enjoy bantering with them. He must be close if he wasn't worried that they would stop him. That thought sent a ripple of fear through Helen's body. What if he did it? What if he went back to 1898? What would happen to them, to the world as they knew it?

"And now the party is really starting to get good," Adam grinned, looking past where Helen and John stood to the entrance of the tunnel. Both turned to follow Adam's sight.

Nikola stood with his hands touching at the fingertips held in front of his chest and a toothy grin on his face.

"You didn't think you could throw this little soiree without me, did you?" he said, walking further into their alcove. "Really Helen, you should know better than to leave me out. Time travel of all things! HG would be ecstatic."

"Nikola, I didn't really have the time to track you down and drag you along," Helen pointed out.

"I see you're back to your bloodsucking claws and fangs variety, old boy," John said. His tone was dripping in amusement at the last part and Nikola frowned. Helen let out a small exasperated sigh at their constant bickering.

"Yes, all the more immortality for me to spend with Helen," Nikola's smirk returned. John stepped forward but Helen spoke, stopping them from going further.

"Really, gentleman, is now the most apt time for your school yard bickering?" she said.

"Now _there's _my favourite dysfunctional threesome back in action," Adam grinned. John glared and Nikola glowered.

Adam had soon dissolved back into thin air, leaving the threesome desperate and lost. When it became apparent that they needed to draw enough energy from Adam's machine, Nikola immediately inspected the two power sources.

"We don't have much time," Helen said, worriedly.

"I can only siphon off their power one at a time," Nikola relayed. "They're derived from separate sources."

"There's not enough time," Helen said, feeling her hope slowly slipping away. Adam could very well be starting up his time machine – or whatever it was – as they spoke.

"As much as I appreciate the irony," Nikola said, "I know, but I can only do them individually."

He ripped the wires within the first silver tube easily after 'vamping out' as Kate seemed so fond of calling it. She winced as the sparks of blue shot over him. She knew it didn't hurt him, but the memories of him walking through that chamber two years ago to retrieve his source blood key still lingered.

"He could be gone by now," John said, thoughtfully. Helen shot him a harsh look.

"You have no one to blame but yourself," she hissed. He wouldn't get away with this one. There was no knowing how many millions of lives he could have affected through his rash notions of twisted romance.

A dark look flittered across his face and she could have sworn she saw remorse. But with John one could never be too certain. But then his features turned to a grim determination and she knew he was about to do something else rash, and possibly heroic. That seemed to be his pattern, continue to do bad and then occasionally swoop in to clean up the messes he'd made.

"John..." she said warningly.

"I have to make this right," he said.

Before she'd even realised what he was doing, John walked over to the remaining power tube and ripped out the wires in a similar method Nikola had. Helen watched frozen in horror as the electricity streamed over his body. His face was twisted in an expression of pain. The creature was growing stronger.

Helen barely had time to call out as she heard a crackling noise behind her. She spun around to see Adam's makeshift lab once more. He had a look of shock.

"I always knew you were mad, Johnny, but this...?" he said.

His machine crackled and let out a few sparks before the air literally appeared to rip in front of them, leaving a colourful swirl in its wake. Adam grinned.

"But you're too late," he said, picking up the bag that held his daughter's cure, he offered Helen one last smirk before setting off into his time-rift.

"Bloody hell," Helen murmured, for lack of anything better to describe what she had just seen.

"You can't blame me for the dream," John said. His voice was heady with madness and even Nikola was watching him with what she was sure he would never admit was a tinge of sadness.

After all, Nikola had been part of the Five too. Even if he and John had never really got along they had derived pleasure from their own petty competitions and fights.

Helen gazed at the swirling mass of light and colour that Adam had stepped through. If she didn't go, then all she had done would be for nothing. Did she really have a choice?

"To hell I can't," she ground out.

Nikola, who had been watching her, seemed to have realised her train of thoughts before she'd even uttered those words and stepped towards her.

"Helen..." he said.

"Nikola, he could change everything," she said, looking into his eyes, pleading with him to see. "What choice do I have?"

Nikola seemed to be thinking deeply, and then a grin spread across his face.

"Surely you meant to say what choice do _we _have," he amended, "But I will forgive the grammatical slip up in wake of the metaphorical – and physical – hole in physics Adam has just ripped."

"Nikola..." Helen said.

"Whatever we face we do it together," Nikola said. Her lips twitched at his use of her words from months ago. "Even without the vows. Besides, you don't really expect me to stay behind and tend the phones while you go off gallivanting through time do you?" He scoffed. "Come on, Helen."

She smiled slightly too now. It would be better to have a friend along, and Nikola could be very useful, especially after his re-vamping.

She nodded almost imperceptibly, but she knew Nikola could read the shift in her features.

"This really is going to be one of our best adventures yet," Nikola said, as he and Helen walked towards the lights display. She shot him a look.

"Could you please try and curb your excitement for a moment? There is still a mad-man running loose hell-bent on altering history," Helen pointed out. Nikola sighed dramatically.

"Always so practical, Helen," he said, teasingly.

They exchanged a smile as they stood on the precipice between their time and their past time. A grin spread on both of their faces, she couldn't help it. Even though Adam was about to do God-knows what to the past, they were about to do what they'd always thought impossible. Helen and Nikola had always been irrepressibly adventurous, more so than the other three of the Five. They'd always craved adventure and excitement, a little too much as James had always said.

So together they stepped through the lights, leaving a maddened and menacing John, and their own time behind. They landed on the cobbled streets of nineteenth century London seconds later (though technically it was a hundred and thirteen years earlier, but the mind-boggling-ness of it all was too much to consider that right now). God, it felt so bizarre to be back. To be back home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all so much for the reviews in the first chapter, I'm glad of the interest that you've all shown in this story, and I apologise for the delay in posting this chapter. **

**I had a busy few weeks finishing up uni stuff, but now its holidays. Woot. So you can expect actual updates! Since, as I mentioned, I now have a lot of free time I can work on this story (and my others) :). **

**I hope you enjoy. :) **

|\\|\

Helen landed on the cobbled stones in a crouch. A dizzy feeling washed over her and she was disoriented momentarily. She regained her bearings and equilibrium quickly. After all, nothing could jolt Helen Magnus so far as to render her more than temporarily confused.

"Well...this is certainly not what I had in mind when I followed you into Praxis," Nikola said as he looked around.

They were standing in London. It was unmistakable. Helen had walked – or often run, depending on what or whom she was chasing at the time – these cobbled roads hundreds of times. A cobbled road that no longer existed in their timeline...

Helen's mind snapped back to focus when she saw Adam rushing off around a corner into the labyrinth like back-streets. She'd come here for a reason. She didn't have time to dally in blissful reminiscences.

"Adam!" she yelled, rushing after the man. Nikola looked around briefly, noting the suspicious glances they were garnering from passer-bys. It seemed Helen had forgotten that women didn't act so ungraciously in this time. She'd grown accustomed to unquestioned authority and free-reign as a woman. She was going to need someone to remind her it hadn't always been like that.

"Bloody hell," he uttered, as it seemed only appropriate to adopt one of Helen's favourite phrases in this time and place.

He ran off in pursuit of her, and Adam.

Helen scurried around the corner, shooting at Adam with her gun, but not managing to get the man. Her blasts instead hit the brick walls causing dust to cascade down to the ground.

Nikola caught up to her just as she was rounding a corner, gun in hand.

"Don't make things worse, Adam," she called out. She was looking around carefully, single-minded in her pursuit to stop Worth from altering their timeline.

Nikola walked beside her in his vamped-out state, searching for any sign of their evil madman.

"None of us can be here, we all know it," Helen called out. Nikola knew she was trying to provoke Adam into talking, into revealing his location, or perhaps part of his plot.

"It's only time travel, Helen," Adam called back. "What's the worst that could happen?" His voice echoed in the alleyway, so neither of them was able to get a fix on where he was.

"You mean aside from destroying the natural order of history?" Helen replied as she and Nikola crept forward.

Nikola heard scuffling ahead and indicated to Helen. She nodded at their silent gesture and they moved forward together slowly.

"What, by creating a utopia?" Adam replied. "You must have thought about it, think of all the possibilities! Nikola, don't pretend you haven't considered it. The world, any way we want it to be."

Helen looked over at Nikola uncertainly. He picked up the look and the meaning behind it. She was remembering that day in Rome when he'd talked of the new golden age.

It hurt him a little more than he would like to admit that she thought he would actually turn to Adam's side and abandon her. After everything they'd been through together.

"I already started to shape the world by creating advancements in technology once," Nikola scoffed, "I'd rather not do that again."

It wasn't as though he was going to give up on his quest for power, of course not, that would be ludicrous. No, he merely wanted to seek it in his own time. Altering history was too dangerous. Who knew what damage they'd do that wouldn't work in his favour, or Helen's.

Nikola and Helen rounded another corner together. Nikola could tell they were getting closer.

"Think about it," Adam said, "The three of us together. We could be like the Five, only better. We don't need the other two, not when we're the real geniuses anyway."

"By taking over the world?" Helen said.

Nikola saw the blast of green light from Adam's gun and acted on instinct, pushing Helen out of its path. He growled as he felt the blast hit him in the chest. The last thing he heard as he and Helen tumbled to the ground was her soft gasp before everything went black.

\||\\

James Watson couldn't say he was altogether surprised when he'd gotten summoned to Scotland Yard in a matter concerning one Miss Helen Magnus, and a certain Mr Tesla. Though he had thought Nikola was out of the country, which was curious. He hadn't heard that Nikola would be returning to visit. Surely Helen would have mentioned it. It did make sense that the vampire would seek out Helen, he'd always been a sight too attached to her for propriety.

As he'd made the short trip across town to Scotland Yard he wondered what Helen could possibly have got herself in to this time that merited him needing to bail her out. Helen and Nikola had always been a frightfully troublesome combination.

He was greeted by a familiar officer of whom he'd worked with before on occasion. The man had dealt with several matters to do the Sanctuary, not explicitly of course, but enough to know their work required a certain discretion.

"Hasn't said a word since we brought her in," the man said. "The other one keeps demanding to see her though. We're keeping them in separate cells."

That didn't surprise James.

"Wouldn't let the doctors near them neither," the man continued as they made their way to the holding cells. "Despite all the blood on his shirt and the bumps on her head."

"She put up any kind of resistance?" James inquired.

"Gentle as a debutante, despite all the weapons we found on her," the officer said. "Never seen anything like it. I would say Miss Magnus's reputation as odd remains in tact."

"Doctor Magnus," James corrected, at the man's calling Helen odd. He would still defend her honour, whatever trouble she'd caused. "And I will need everything you took from her. No charges, no evidence to suppress, just make your life easier as usual."

"Fine," the man agreed. Probably more out of a reluctance to deal with the unusual Dr Magnus and whatever bizarre behaviour she'd been involved in to warrant her arrest. "But you owe me for this, Watson."

He moved to unlock the door and James stepped to the doorframe as the heavy metal door pushed open. The man then moved several cells down to unlock the cell which held Tesla.

James was shocked when he saw Helen sitting on the bed, wrapped in a grey blanket. It was Helen, of that there was no doubt, but there was something strikingly different about her. It wasn't just the glaringly obvious change of her hair colour either.

"James," Helen stood. There was a tone to her voice he couldn't quite place. It was almost as though she was shocked to see him.

"Helen," James said.

"Well, isn't this quite the happy reunion?" Nikola said as he appeared beside James.

"The two of you have a lot to explain," James said.

Helen and Nikola exchanged a look which did not escape James. Whatever they'd been doing was something big, he could tell. Nikola's shirt was bloodied and torn around the chest, almost as though he'd been shot (which was quite possible for the vampire) and Helen was barely wearing anything decent at all.

|\\\|

Helen and Nikola followed James out of Scotland Yard, both trying to formulate the best possible explanation for this without raising their rather inconveniently perceptive friend's suspicions.

"I got a call," James began as they exited the building into the darkened street, "To say that you were both found injured, Helen half-dressed, with strange weapons."

Nikola grinned lewdly at Helen when James said 'half-dressed'.

"I wasn't even aware you were on the continent let alone in the country," James said, to Nikola.

They exchanged another look, neither one quite knowing how to deal with this and get away from James as quickly as possible to ensure things didn't become even messier.

"You know me," Nikola shrugged, "I thought I'd come and visit... have an adventure or two."

"Well, it certainly looks as though you've had success with the latter," James said, surveying them. "What in Heaven's name have you two been up to trawling the streets at night? What are you wearing? Your hair, for God's sake, when did you do that?"

"I..." Helen said, but she was still woozy from the tumble. She staggered, and Nikola caught her around the waist. She placed her hand on his chest for support gratefully.

James's brows shot up at this display, and Helen moved away from Nikola's embrace.

"We're...we're grateful to you for your assistance James," Helen said, "But it's been a hell of a night and we really must be on our way."

"Helen, you've taken a terrible tumble, at least let me look at you," James said.

"I'm fine," Helen said. "Really. I can see myself home. Goodnight James."

"What on Earth are the two of you up to?" James said, "Why are you employing such secretive measures? Neither one of you even thought to inform me that you were intending to come to London, Nikola, and now the pair of you turn up like this in Scotland Yard?"

"Nikola and I just got a bit out of hand," Helen said. "We shan't be so careless next time."

Helen went to walk away, but stumbled once more with a soft gasp. James moved to her aid this time, a look of concern on his face.

"Bloody hell," Helen uttered as she swayed on her feet. Nikola watched in concern. She collapsed and Nikola moved forward to lift her to his arms, his vampiric strength more than Watson's.

"We need to get her to the Sanctuary," James said, "It appears she's been more affected by her tumble than she let on. I ought to check her out to ensure no lasting damage."

Nikola clenched his jaw and looked at the woman in his arms. He really had no choice. He had nowhere else as of yet to go and Helen could need medical attention. He couldn't risk her any further harm if her injury was that bad.

Things were about to get very messy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you thank you thank you all so much for your awesome reviews. You guys are the best. I refer you to my eternal cookie bi***, chartreuseian****, for virtual Tesla-stache cookie rewards. :P **

**And as a reward for being my cookie bi*** (not that you have a choice ;)), imagine that somewhere in the future during this story, a piano mysteriously drops out of the sky and onto Will. **

**Anyway... Yay did everyone see Fugue? Amanda has such a pretty voice *fangirl squee*. The best moment was where she randomly burst into song during that conference call. Also, can someone please tell me when Chimera is airing? I'm so confused.**

**Sorry for the ramble, and onto the chapter!**

\|\||

It was bizarre for Nikola, as they returned to the London Sanctuary. He hadn't been there in years, not since he'd briefly visited the institution during their confrontation with the Cabal. Though, at the time, he'd been more preoccupied with creating a weapon to hinder Helen's daughter.

This Sanctuary was more riddled with memories than Helen's Old City one, as fond as he was of the new one. But this was the first Sanctuary, the place that he and Helen had shared so many fond times back when everything had been so much simpler.

He carried her through the front door with a rush of déjà vu. It wasn't the first time he'd carried her across the threshold of the larger house – though not in the way he had always secretly hoped either. It had been in their early monster hunting days, though Helen had always scowled when any of the others in the Five had referred to them as such. They were abnormals to her, not unseemly creatures of nightmares as the other word seemed to suggest. Still, Nigel and James had taken particular amusement as calling their jaunts 'monster hunting'.

They'd been young, inexperienced, and a little arrogant. Her father had sent them out after an abnormal and, in their youthful naivety, they had rushed in foolhardily. Helen had assured him it was nothing, that the abnormal was docile, a gentle creature. The four men had quickly learnt after that when Helen said docile, it wasn't to be taken at face value. She, of course, had insisted of going in after the creature first. She'd been knocked out by a mysterious slime and Nikola had carried her home. Thankfully, the slime was only meant as a defence mechanism to render potential attackers unconscious. Of course, when she had woken, Helen had been more fascinated by it and had gone straight down to the lab to study the substance. Same old Helen.

Nikola shook himself out of his memories and headed for the infirmary to lay Helen down on a bed, James following silently behind. He seemed thoughtful, and had been watching Nikola closely on their return trip.

Nikola stood aside, while still remaining close by her side, as James quickly inspected her head injury.

"She will be alright?" Nikola inquired.

"Yes, she will be fine," James said, "It was, as I suspected, just a rather nasty bump to the head."

"Why has she not yet woken up then?" Nikola said, in concern.

He would tear Adam limb from limb if Helen was badly harmed.

"Medicine is not my strong point," James conceded, "As Helen constantly reminds me, but it's a mild scalp wound."

As though on cue, Helen let out a small moan, shifting on the bed. Nikola's hand was grabbing hers before he could think about the action.

"Nikola?" she croaked.

"I'm here," he said.

Her eyes flickered open and he waited patiently as she took in her surroundings. He watched her blue eyes flitter around in confusion, concern, and then widen in understanding as she remembered everything that had happened. They sought his out next and he smiled a soft reassurance.

She made a move to get up.

"Helen, you should rest," Nikola said.

"Nikola, need I explain to you why we should finish our mission?" she said, softly emphasising the words.

"You're of no use if you can barely walk straight, Helen," Nikola responded in low tones.

"I'm fine, Nikola," Helen said.

"Please," he said, with a scoff, "You know how I love you swooning into my arms, but I would prefer it under different circumstances. You know, without the possible head injury. Call me picky if you will."

"Many people have," she responded, almost instinctively, "Sorry." She grinned.

"What in God's name?"

Both Helen and Nikola's heads snapped to James, who they hadn't noticed walk across the room to a nearby table. Helen swore under her breath for allowing herself to become so distracted by Nikola not to notice James's whereabouts.

He had emptied the small sack of the things the police had found on them and was holding in his hands her driver's licence. Her mind was spinning trying to think of a plausible way to explain the futuristic item.

"What the devil is that made of?" James said, more to himself than to them.

This time when Helen went to get up, Nikola didn't try to stop her. They both quickly walked over to where James was as he sifted through the impossible items.

He was running his fingers over her phone now.

"The design, the purpose," he said, his curiosity overwhelming as he took in each new item.

James pressed the on button to the phone and his eyes lit up in surprise as it hummed to life with a cheerful beeping.

"How...how is that powered?" he said, marvelling at the small object. His eyes were filled with the spark they often were upon making a new discovery.

"James," Helen said, warningly, as she grabbed the phone from him. "Ignore all of this. Ignore us."

"Speak for yourself," Nikola scoffed, "I do despise being ignored so."

"Nikola," Helen said in exasperation.

"Briming Automatic, I've never heard of that," James said, inspecting her gun, "And yet, I know every weapons manufacturer in the world."

"I have told you time and time again Helen that claws make far superior weapons to guns," Nikola said, smirking. "You wouldn't land in a situation such as this." Helen looked at Nikola with incredulity.

"Really, Nikola, how often do you land in 'a situation such as this'?" she said. He raised his hands in mock defeat.

"Amazing," James was still rather awestruck at her gun.

"Yes, yes, we're well aware at how amazing Helen's gun is," Nikola said, "Especially when she's holding it." He took a step closer to Helen. "You do look irresistibly sexy when holding one, ljubav." He breathed the sentiment against her neck.

If she weren't so distracted by his comment and the way it induced a shiver to run down her spine she would have hit him for being so flippant at a time like this.

"Leave," Helen blurted, "Right now."

"Not a chance," James said.

"I do love it when you get all dominatrix, Helen," Nikola said.

"Now is not the time, Nikola," Helen said.

"Dominatrix?" James said, bewildered.

"It's my Sanctuary," Helen said, firmly.

"Is it?" James said. "From the moment Nikola walked in here he was behaving as if he were visiting someone's long lost grave." He walked around the table to stand directly in front of the pair of them. "It may have been your Sanctuary a long time ago."

"I'm beginning to feel like he's onto us," Nikola said softly in her ear. She bit her lip.

"Business cards made from a substance I can't identity, issued 2010," he said, toying with the card. "Expires 2015."

"I have told you it's foolish to carry around a business card, Helen, in your line of work," Nikola said.

"Is your running commentary really necessary, Nikola?" she snapped back softly.

"Weapons I've never seen or heard of," James continued, "Clothes designed for maximum movement and protection."

"Not to mention -," Nikola began but Helen elbowed him.

"Don't say it, Nikola," she murmured. He grinned. She turned to James. "I am Helen M -,"

"Oh, you definitely are Helen Magnus," James said, nodding.

"Helen, his voice carries that tone that indicates dear James is onto something, you know, the one when he's just solved a case and insists on telling us his line of thinking," Nikola said, "And people say I have a flair for the dramatics."

James smirked.

"Oh, yes, and he is most definitely Nikola Tesla," he said, "Just, you're both not of this era."

Helen and Nikola exchanged a sideways glance.

"Of all the people to run into in our past," Nikola said with a smirk, "It just had to be the one with unnaturally excelled skills of observation."

"Nikola," Helen said in exasperation.

"So, it is true, then?" James said, his expression once again that of a child on Christmas morning.

"You understand, then, James," Helen said, there was no going back now, "Why it is that you must leave?"

"Because by being here, you may disrupt the timeline...change the future as you know it," James said.

"Always a smart one, weren't you James?" Nikola said sarcastically. "Now, run along, Helen and I have some important business to attend to."

"But, how is this possible?" James said.

"We came here on a mission," Helen said. "We must complete it or everything – _everything _– from now until our present, could be destroyed."

"Who are you chasing?" James said. Helen remained silent and James sighed. "Honestly, Helen," it took him a moment to say her name, "whatever your mission is, it's got off to a very bad start.

"Bad is a relative term, I find," Nikola said.

"You need help," James insisted, "And as I know the truth..."

"Are you still missing the whole 'you're a third wheel' part?" Nikola continued. Helen bit her lip to stop from smiling. The situation was really too grave for that.

"No questions about the future," Helen said, ignoring Nikola. "Near, or distant."

"Helen," Nikola said, "I didn't know you were into threesomes."

"Nikola," Helen said, "We are going to need help. We no longer belong in this era."

"Fine," huffed Nikola, "But only because I do so love it when you take control." He grinned and she sighed. "We're chasing Adam Worth."

"From Oxford?" James said.

"He's come from the future as well," Helen said.

"Yes, quite the party," Nikola said, "You know, if you disregard the whole evil plan that will alter the course of history and our timeline forever detail."

"Yes, there is that," Helen said with an indulgent smirk at the vampire. "We followed Adam here after John -,"

"John Druitt?" James said, disbelievingly.

"The name does leave a rather bitter taste in one's mouth, doesn't it?" Nikola agreed.

"My God, does everyone from my era live on to the twenty-first century?" James said.

Helen and Nikola exchanged another look.

"Will the two of you please cease doing that?" James said. "It's like Oxford all over again, with your little looks and secrets."

"We'll tell you everything you need to know to help stop Adam Worth, nothing more," Helen said.

"Time travel is actually possible, HG would be ecstatic," James said, pacing.

"That's what I said," Nikola grinned.

"But, by simply being here, haven't you already changed things?" he said, narrowing his eyes.

"I'll not give you a lesson in temporal theory," Helen said, with a smirk, "Nice try though. But had we arrived a century or even a millennia ago, the effect on our future would have been greater."

"So the shorter the time sphere, the less the effect on the future," James said quickly and thoughtfully.

"This is like old times, isn't it?" Nikola said, "The three of us, discussing theories of science... and the impossible."

"Nikola, there were two more members of the Five," Helen pointed out. Nikola sighed dramatically.

"Alright, I admit, Nigel did have his uses," Nikola said, and then pouted, "But you still insist that John was a valuable member of our little gang?" Helen smirked.

"He did help us get here," she pointed out. Nikola gave another dramatic sigh.

"Yes, the two of you haven't really changed in a century, have you?" James said, his voice was tinted with amusement.

"Do we have a deal, James?" Helen said.

"Everything you have brought with you must be destroyed," James said, "And you need to change."

"Right," Nikola said, as James began to rapidly pack their futuristic belongings into the sack again to be rid of, "You destroy Helen's toys and I'll assist her in changing."


	4. Chapter 4

**The Chimera preview has me ridiculously excited. Ridiculously. Hence this chapter. **

|\||\

Helen changed quickly, retrieving a leather dress from the back of her wardrobe, and returned to find James burning the items in the sack. She'd left Nikola upstairs to find some clothes himself to fit in more readily in the era.

"James," Helen said, warningly, as he looked at her phone longingly. It was difficult for someone with such a vividly curious mind as his to simply discard items from 100 years in the future.

"Yes," James said, throwing the phone to join its sibling futuristic items into the fire with a last longing glance.

"Is this better?" she said, holding out her arms when he turned to her.

"Much," James said, approvingly. "If it were not for the darker shade of hair I would have thought you were..."

"Myself?" Helen said, somewhat amused.

"I like it, by the way," James said, indicating her hair.

"Thank you," she said.

"Where is Nikola?" he said, looking around her, as though the other man would be lurking in the doorway.

"He's upstairs changing," Helen said, "He was pilfering your wardrobe with a critical eye last I saw him. Honestly, he was taking longer than I was." James smirked and shook his head.

"Same old Nikola then," he said. Helen nodded.

"Some things never change," she said, a little wistfully. It was hard to stand beside James, even at this point so far in their past, knowing his fate. She had missed him dearly ever since losing him in the ancient vampire city a few years ago.

"But some things do," James said.

"I recognise that tone," Helen said, narrowing her eyes, "And that look in your eyes, James."

"You and Nikola," James said, "You are...together...in the future."

It wasn't a question, and Helen was momentarily stunned by the inference.

"Nikola and I? What would prompt you say such a thing, James?" Helen said.

James regarded her with quizzical amusement.

"Come now, Helen," James said, "I know you cannot risk telling me too much about the future, yet you and Nikola are here together. I've been watching the two of you."

"James..." Helen said.

"It seems rather obvious," James continued. Once James began a rant about a new discovery, it was often rather hard to break his train of thought. The fact that he was so often right unsettled Helen somewhat, especially considering his current line of thought. "You don't need to hide it, Helen, I won't tell your present self. Nor Nikola's present self. I have to admit, I'm not surprised in the least. I always saw something between the two of you back at Oxford, and I did wonder at it before you and John began your courtship."

"James, there's really nothing to – what?" Helen said, a little stunned at his words, so casually spoken. Of course, she herself had always wondered about whether there could have been a chance at her and Nikola being, well, her and Nikola. But she had thought they hadn't been that obvious.

"Please, Helen," James said in amusement, "I wasn't the only one to suspect either. I know that your father was quite concerned for a time." He had an amused twinkle in his eyes and Helen could only gape. She knew her father had never quite taken to Nikola as much as he had to the others, Nikola was a difficult personality after all. But she'd never thought it was because he'd suspected anything untoward going on between her and the Serb.

\||\\

Nikola stood scrutinizing the fabric of one of Watson's shirts. It was too large for his wiry frame, and Nikola did so detest when his clothes didn't fit properly. Why Helen insisted he change he had no idea. His clothes were reminiscent enough of the era to be plausible, if not a little eccentric. But Helen had insisted they not stand out if they could help it.

He was tossing up between two shirts when he heard the faint sound of footsteps walking outside the door. Thinking it his Helen, he opened it a fraction intending to call her for her opinion on the matter, and saw the retreating form of Helen. But this one had one distinct difference, this Helen had blonde hair.

She – past Helen – was headed to the bedroom where his Helen must have vacated only minutes ago. He could only imagine the mess that would have occurred had she decided to come up a few minutes earlier.

She was wearing a long black over-coat on top of her pink vest, her blonde hair tied up in a bun. He briefly recognised the ensemble from the time, when he'd visited England. He was surprised at the stirring of emotion within him upon seeing her blonde hair. It reminded him so much of her, of their past, of the feelings he'd spent so many years diligently trying to suppress. One look at her, and they'd all come bubbling back to the surface, simmering dangerously just as they had then.

God, how he wanted to call out to her, to follow her and pin her against the wall and kiss her. To taste her soft lips upon his own. It was yearning he'd experienced so often back in their days at Oxford and the years following with frightening need. He'd been so hopelessly in love with her. Not that he didn't experience similar desires with her in their future – their present he supposed really – but he'd spent so many years accepting the fact that she would never look at him in the same way. Back then there had always been that hope, he'd always imagined a life together, the two of them side-by-side through the ages sharing in adventure after adventure.

He'd spent a century accepting that Helen didn't share in his feelings. She loved him, he knew, of course she did, but just as a friend. Despite his innuendo laden comments, he never really expected anything to come of them. Because truth be told he didn't want it to simply be an affair or a fling with her, he _couldn't _handle that. She was the woman he'd fallen hopelessly in love with all those years ago, the woman who had always held his heart in her hand.

It had been so painful for him to watch her give her heart to another man, then to be hurt so deeply by that man. He'd been so angry then, angry at her for loving someone else, angry at John for hurting her, but mostly angry at himself for not being the man worthy of holding her affection. He knew his counterpart self in this time was still brooding over that pain, still miserably pining over her.

It would be so easy to change everything, to erase all of those years of misery and pain, to just walk into that room and to kiss her. She would think he was her Nikola. He could tell her that he loved her – do what he had never had the courage to do then – say that he had always loved her and hope she wouldn't reject him. He could wipe away all those years of lonely pining.

His hand gripped the doorknob. He was sorely tempted.

But then he thought of his Helen, waiting for him downstairs. His Helen would was always there for him, always saving his troublesome hide when he got into predicaments. His Helen who put up with his eccentricities and who cared for him despite it all. The only person who had ever truly understood him.

As easy as it would be to waltz into her room and change their future, he still loved her too much now to erase _her _timeline. He may have loved her then, but he loved the person she had become. All of the things she'd done, the life she had made, she had a family and her work which she loved. He wasn't stuck on an image of her in the past. His love had stayed steady through the years, they'd both changed, but that had remained. She meant too much to him now to risk altering the timeline simply so his present self could bed her in another timeline.

That wasn't what love was.

So Nikola released his grip on the doorknob and returned to the room, picking up the nearest shirt and replacing his old one with it.

He knew despite the pain, self-loathing and self-pity his Victorian-era self was wallowing in right now, he, future Nikola, could still stand by Helen's side and fight to make sure that their future – _her _future – remained intact.


	5. Chapter 5

**BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE TO ASK. **

**Had to be said. Anyway... oh how I love writing the good old Helen/Nikola banter. **

**Thank you as always for your beyond-awesome reviews! You guys are the best. **

\||\|

Helen had to admit she was gaping at James in a most unlady-like manner. But her mind was still all jumbled at his words. Of course she'd had fleeting – and often rather more than that too – thoughts about Nikola in _that _way when they'd been younger, but she had never imagined she'd been so utterly transparent. That _they _had been so transparent as to alert not only the detective sleuth but also her father.

Helen, ever obstinate, opened her mouth to protest to James's conclusions about the two of them when the vampire himself walked into the room and shattered her protestation.

"I almost had a run in with the most attractive creature upstairs," Nikola said, striding into the room and catching both Helen and James's attention with his casually spoken yet pointed words. Helen had almost forgotten how dashing he looked in Victorian attire, not that it differed too greatly from his modern garbs in any case.

"Oh?" Helen said, half-distracted by his now-gelled down hair. She wanted to stride over to him and run her fingers through the dark hair and muss it up.

"Yes, almost angelic," he drawled, gesticulating theatrically as was his way. "Golden locks, with the milky skin of a Goddess and the most impossible blue eyes you've ever seen in your life."

He accentuated the statement with a cheeky smile in her direction and she had to let out a sigh. He really was too much sometimes. Their eyes met and Helen was shocked for a moment with a jolt of something when she found sincerity there. The moment was broken with a cough from James.

"I take it Helen, my Helen, has come out of her lab," he said, "You really do work too much." He added, turning to this Helen. "I don't know if I ever told you that, but I shall do so now."

"_Your _Helen?" Nikola said.

"Oh, Nikola, don't fixate on pronouns so," Helen said, trying to sound casual and at the same time avoid James's triumphant smirk at having, as usual, deduced the right conclusion. "Besides, should we not focus on finding and preventing Adam from altering the future? We really should get out of here regardless to make sure we don't run into ...me."

One look at Nikola was all she needed to know he was about to make some incredibly lewd comment about two Helens, and so she acted on what she would always claim was instinct to clap a hand across his mouth.

"Don't say it, Nikola," she said.

"If you two are quite finished bickering in a manner I can only ascribe as being akin to that of an old married couple?" James said.

He was fishing and Helen could see it. She wasn't going to give him anything more. She was still trying to wrap her head around his words from earlier. She still didn't know why she felt quite so guilty though, which confused her perhaps the most. It was as if she was being caught red-handed by someone. She and Nikola weren't even together and still she felt like they'd been sprung. She certainly needed some time to unravel that one, but now they really ought to focus on tracking down Adam.

\|\\|

The two displaced time-travellers and their old friend made their way to Helen's old study before they went to find Adam. Helen retrieved two guns from the drawer she knew her past self kept them – this was starting to get confusing.

"You look sexy with a gun," Nikola grinned as she readied the weapons. He was rewarded only by Helen's exasperated expression. She'd given up trying to convince James that they weren't a couple, he wouldn't believe her either way. Besides, she was loathe to actually give him too many details pertaining to the future. That was dangerous. It was the very thing she and Nikola had come here to prevent after all.

"Right, let's get a move on," Helen said, staunchly refusing to play Nikola's game, "Adam may still be in the city, but not for long."

"The Adam Worth from your time?" James said.

"Two Adam Worths," Nikola all-but groaned, "I forgot we had to deal with dear old Jekyll and Hyde as well as our own."

"That is the way time travel works, Nikola," Helen said.

"I know you do so love to be in control, Helen," Nikola said, "But even you can't purport an expert knowledge of the intricacies of time travel."

"No," she said, "But it only common sense that there would be two Adam Worths, Nikola. Anyone could deduce that."

"Enough," James said, holding out a hand in between their two bodies. Helen hadn't even noticed that she and Nikola had stepped closer and closer to each other as they'd talked. "Honestly, the pair of you are as bad as ever. Did you never mature?"

"I should hope not," Nikola said. "Anyway I -,"

He was cut short when they heard soft voices arguing through the dark oak door, all three of them turning to look at it in almost comically synchronised timing. The door opened moments later to reveal none other than the object of their pursuit, Adam Worth.

"Adam," Helen said in surprise.

"James, sorry to intrude," Adam said, striding into the room, hat-in-hand and with a contrite and worried expression fixed on his face.

"Burn down any laboratories recently?" James asked in a conversational tone.

"That was ten years ago and it was an accident," Adam said. If there had been any doubt of which Adam this one was, that all but settled it. Unless he was acting, but Helen couldn't figure out what purpose that would serve, he knew better than to seek her out after all. By now he knew not to underestimate Helen Magnus. That mistake was usually the last one made.

"Listen, it's my daughter Imogene," he said, concerned, "She's gravely ill. It's rare blood disease. I've tried every treatment possible."

"And you've come for my help?" Helen said, recalling living out this very moment over a hundred years ago.

"Thank you, Helen," Adam said – and if felt odd to hear such words come from his mouth without an ounce of the malice she'd come to attribute to him, "But I've come for his help. You see she's missing. Someone's taken her." Nikola scoffed and Helen had to elbow him to quiet him down.

James looked to Helen with a subtly quizzical look. Nikola smirked when Helen nodded, prompting James to reply to Adam.

"You have him so whipped even now," Nikola breathed in her ear, "Always the boss." She smirked.

"Very well, Adam," James said. "Let us get our coats and we will assist you."

Adam nodded in thanks, letting out a breath he must have been holding in anticipation.

"I wonder who could be behind this?" Nikola muttered under his breath.

"Hush, Niko," Helen said, "Play along, it may lead us to our Adam Worth."

"Can you not call him 'our' Adam Worth, please?" Nikola said, "I'd rather not stake claim on him if he drastically alters the timeline for the worse."

"What is it with you and pronouns today?" she said, shaking her head in amusement.

"I think it's the air here, in this era," he said. "You always did say that proper use of the Queen's English was a dying art-form." He grinned at her and she couldn't help but grin back.

It felt good to smile despite everything that had and was happening. It was then she realised just how glad she was that he was here, with her. He always found a way to make her smile, make her laugh, or even make her sigh in exasperated amusement, in the more dire of situations. If she had to chase a madman hell-bent on changing history through the streets of nineteenth century London with anyone it would be him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Much love and hugs to everyone who's been reviewing. You guys rock, Tesla style. :)**

**I hope that a new chapter proves that I say Kirbster in a much cooler way than obnoxious people... (that really won't make sense to anyone but chartreuseian) **

\||\\

It felt odd to be back in that hospital room, the one where she had tried futilely to save Imogene from a disease that still held no concrete cure in her own time. She remembered it so clearly though, as though it were just yesterday. Which is almost was... technically. Helen blinked to halt her thoughts from travelling down a paradoxical path that would only lead to a headache. The room was bare, simple, the picture of necessity only. One didn't forget the room where you had not been able to save a child, no matter how long ago it was. Yes, it was almost exactly as she had remembered it. Save for one thing – the dying girl in the bed.

"So how do think this all works?" Nikola mused, as James inspected the set-up of the hospital room.

"Nikola, I thought we'd established that not thinking too greatly on the matter was the more sensible route to take for the moment," Helen replied.

"Yes, but this is _us _Helen," he grinned, leaning closer, "When did we ever take the sensible route? The very fact that we followed a madman into the past is indicative of a taste for adventure..."

"Nikola, I will very gladly discuss with you how this is all possible once we have ensured Adam's activities are halted," Helen said.

"You look sexy when you're hunting down time-travelling madmen," Nikola grinned. Helen rolled her eyes.

"That's a frequently occurring phenomenon then, is it?" she said.

"Well, do you have anything?" Adam said. He'd been pacing the length of the hospital room nervously as James surveyed it. Helen couldn't help but scrutinize him, and wonder just how much of him, how much of his mind, was close to what he would become, the man they were chasing. How could they be the same person? The man who had caused her so much trouble for the past few months, standing there so worried about his daughter.

"I just don't understand who would do this," Adam said, running a hand over his worried face. Helen instinctively shot Nikola a silencing look, not needing to see his open mouth to know he was about to make a comment to that. "I haven't much money. She's just a child."

Just a child. The same child who Adam Worth would defy the laws of physics to save.

"Worth, be a good chap and ask the night-ward for the visitor manifest, will you?" James requested.

Adam made an affirmative sound, nodding, and casting a glance at James and Helen as he toyed nervously with his bowler hat.

Helen waited until the man had exited the hospital room before she turned back to her companions.

"There's no sign of a struggle, she went without resistance," James said, placing his hands on his hips. Nikola scoffed loudly and rather pointedly from where he had taken up residence in a chair, feet up on the table.

"Of course she did," he drawled, "She thought he was her father. Which he was...is. Sort of."

"In the past," Helen said, "I remember Adam came to us for help finding a cure for Imogene _two months _from now. This moment never happened."

"So much for not altering the timeline," Nikola said, picking at an invisible piece of lint from his waistcoat. "So far we've done a bang-up job of that, I must say. What with causing public ruckus, getting arrested, telling James, meeting past-Adam..."

"Yes, alright," Helen said, "You've made your point." Nikola grinned at her. "You don't have to enjoy it quite so much, thank you."

"Helen, you can make me do many things," Nikola said, giving her a suggestive look, and grinning at James, "But feeling enjoyment is not one of them. In fact, getting me to feel enjoyment and pleasure is one of your many talents, ljubav."

Her hand was twitching. She was aching to smack the smirk off his face just for the smirk James wore right now.

"Perhaps you could enjoy it in private, silently," Helen ground out. "As hard as I know the very concept of silence is an incomprehensible one to you, please do try to apply your considerable brain-power to achieving it."

"That is most definitely not what you were saying – or was it screaming – last night, Helen," Nikola said.

She was sure he was just being deliberately provocative now, just to see the look on James's face. Cheeky little monkey.

"Could we perhaps focus on the issue at hand?" Helen said, casting Nikola a glare, "If that's at all possible for all those present. Our Adam – future Adam – has his daughter. Don't you see what this means? He has his daughter _and _a cure for her disease. He's already altered the future, forever."

\||\\

The three had gone to meet Adam outside, Helen taking pleasure in knocking Nikola's feet off the table a little more violently than necessary. He'd decided to take revenge in the form of a constant string of endearments said at a deliberately loud volume around James just to irk her.

"Please," Adam said, walking briskly over to the small group as soon as they exited, "Are there any clues...suspects?"

"We'd know more if you told us what you were working on," Helen said.

"Or, say, the plans for any models or machines you were planning on building...in the future," Nikola said. Adam gave Nikola a confused look and Helen aimed an exasperated one in his direction. Nikola shrugged. "It was worth a try...no pun intended."

"I told you," Adam seemed frustrated now, "I'm trying to find a cure for her disease."

"Which is an expensive proposition," Helen said, accusingly. Adam nodded. "You'd need money, resources. Which means some sort of extortion plot or larcenous act."

"What?" Adam said, looking genuinely confused at the verbal barrage from Helen. "No, I'd never resort to that."

"I wouldn't use the word 'never'," Nikola contributed innocently.

"Those lab fires were hardly an accident," Helen continued, ignoring Nikola, "And those toxins you were formulating at Oxford, I know you've created prototypes."

"My daughter is missing," Adam said.

"And if you want to find her you will give us names, places, safe-houses," Helen said, stepping towards Worth, "_Everything_," she raised her voice, "you are secretly planning to unleash on this city."

"You're mad," Adam was shaking his head. James was about to call out to stop her when Nikola took a step toward her, placing a hand on her elbow to draw her back.

"Helen," he said, "That's enough."

She turned to look at him and saw his concerned expression. She sighed and nodded, realising that, in her determination, she'd lost herself somewhat.

"I thought you understood my situation," Adam said, "But I guess I know better now. I'll find her myself."

Adam turned to walk away into the down-pour, leaving the three of them standing outside the hospital.

"Well, you certainly have a habit of making an enemy out of Worth..." Nikola commented.

"He's just..." Helen let out a frustrated sigh. "I just want to end this, Nikola!"

"I know, I know," Nikola soothed, grasping each of her hands in his own as they stood face-to-face, closer than a man and a woman should in the streets of Victorian England. "And we will. But taking your anger out on this Worth won't help us find our Worth any sooner. As much as I detest saying this, he hasn't done anything as of yet."

"No, you're right," she sighed, "Thank you, Nikola."

"Always," he said, looking her in the eye. She knew he didn't mean it as an empty word, the word itself carrying more weight and promise than she was brave enough to consider yet. She bit her lip and nodded.

Their moment was broken by a loud cough from James, who stood a few feet away, awkwardly watching their exchange with a keen interest.

"We should get back to the Sanctuary," he offered, "We'll be of no good if we all catch cold from standing out in the rain."

Helen nodded, barely noticing that she and Nikola remained holding hands as they walked back to her old home.

\|\||

Upon reaching the Sanctuary, James made his way down to the labs and Helen went to retrieve a towel to dry her hair with. Nikola was making his way to her study when he heard a very loud, very familiar and very angry sounding voice.

"Don't lie to me!" John Druitt's voice boomed, coming from inside Helen's old study. Nikola pressed his back against the wall in the corridor and listened.

"Five murders," Nikola's heart sped up when he heard Helen's voice, "Their throats cut. Their bodies desecrated in a manner that few beings can achieve."

Nikola peeked into the room to see Helen – blonde Helen – facing John Druitt. She was walking slowly backwards, being pushed into the wall by Druitt as he crept menacingly forward. Her chin was held high and her voice strong, but Nikola could tell she was afraid, terrified even, of the man in front of her.

"Instant escape from the crime scene," Helen continued.

"So it must be me?" Druitt said, his voice held an almost mocking tone.

"You seem flattered," Helen noticed. Nikola had come to the same conclusion. Johnny always had been a few screws loose.

"I am," John said, chuckling.

It was then Nikola saw the razor blade in Druitt's hand as the man held it up. His steps had an almost dance-like quality to them as he continued to steer Helen back. Nikola's heart was pounding so fast, concern for Helen overwhelming all else.

"Deft manner of proving your innocence," Helen said. Her voice was wavering now, her eyes flickering from the blade to the man. "Threatening my life." Nikola let out a low growl.

"Call it self preservation," John hissed,

Nikola craned his neck to see Helen's back hit the column on the wall, her eyes fixed on the razor blade as John approached her, bridging the gap between them.

"Why on earth should I let you frame me for crimes I haven't committed?" John said. If Nikola hadn't been so worried for Helen right now he might have scoffed at John's comment. Perhaps, but he'd committed enough crimes to warrant punishment.

"If you're innocent," she said, her voice shaky, weak now "Then you've nothing to fear."

"You sound just like James," John said, "How much time have you been spending with him?"

"Now jealously, for whom?" Helen said. Nikola couldn't help but feel a little pride for her strength.

"How dare you question my motives?" John hissed, the blade reaching her throat, "My feelings for you. You...you hunt me like an animal. After all we've been through. My heart is yours."

Nikola could see Helen's chest heaving as John poised the razor closer to her neck, moving it towards her skin painfully slowly, and pressing her body further against the wall. Nikola's claws grew of their own accord. All he could see was Druitt holding that blade up to her throat, his hand sliding up to her waist. Her breathing was laboured and her eyes wide, she was scared, and that was all Nikola needed to see for his instincts to take over and the anger to cloud his rational thought.

"Get away from her, Druitt," Nikola snarled, bursting into the room, eyes blackened and claws long.

Both John and Helen's eyes snapped to him in shock.

"Nikola," Helen let out a breath in surprise.

"What is _he _doing here?" John bellowed.

"I said," Nikola repeated slowly, his voice deep in his vampiric form, "Get away from her."

"You," John turned on Nikola, the blade held high. He shot an accusatory look at Helen, that familiar madness in his eyes, "All this time you've been betraying me with him, the pathetic little dog who has lingered so long at your heels."

Helen's eyes were wide and her chest still heaving from the shock or fear, Nikola wasn't sure. Her eyes flickered almost erratically from John to Nikola, her mind trying to process the events of the past few seconds.

"Don't be a fool, Johnny," Nikola snarled, "You and your blade may be enough to threaten an unarmed woman, but you're no match for a vampire. You're a coward."

John looked torn for a moment, as though he was sorely tempted in his rage to challenge Nikola on that. But he seemed to think better of it. Nikola was sure his heart didn't beat for a long moment as he waited for John to do something, anything. John, after an agonisingly long moment, let out an angry roar, slamming the blade into the wall far too close to Helen's neck for Nikola's breath not to race. Druitt grasped Helen's shaking shoulders tightly

Helen's eyes sought out Nikola, the vampire ready to attack should John attempt to do anything foolhardy.

"Look in my face," John said to Helen, "Look at my face, not at him!"

Helen tore her eyes away from Nikola's reluctantly and looked up at John.

John took a step back from her, turning menacing eyes on Nikola, standing near Helen protectively.

"Watch your back, old boy," John threatened Nikola before letting out a final frustrated yelp and disappearing.

Both Helen and Nikola stood, hearts racing, for several long moments after John had disappeared. Helen's chest was heaving, but her eyes found his once more. As her blue eyes locked on his, Nikola's rational thought seemed to finally come back to him, and he realised that this was going to get very messy. Again.

**I just couldn't resist having Nikola barge in and play hero... come on, it's cute and you know it. ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

**OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG SFN2! That's pretty much all I have to say as I'm dying of squee. It's a serious condition as I'm sure you all know well. **

**I've been quite ill of late, and still am, so the upside of that is that I'll probably be able to get a fair bit of writing done. :) **

**As always, thank you so much for the reviews! I love you all. **

|\||\

As though stuck in a sluggish stalemate, both parties stood rooted in their positions simply staring at one another. Nikola, now realising what he had done, and Helen, who was still reeling and trying to catch her breath from John's assault. The rage that had so readily clung to the forefront of his mind, casting all else aside, melted away and now he was left with only a rapidly beating heart as his mind reeled to figure this out.

Slowly, a small smile crept onto Helen's face and before he knew it her arms were around his neck. His own arms, of their own accord, encircled her waist. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and he swore he heard a soft sniffle. That minute sound was enough to his heart melt all over again. He merely stood in shock and guilt at having rescued the past-Helen as she curled herself further into his arms, tangling their bodies just as he had their timelines. He also felt somewhat guilty, bizarrely, at imposing on his past-self. He never thought that would be an issue. This was a Helen he had known a hundred years ago, it wasn't his place to mess around with her timeline nor her affairs. This time was for him and her – the him and her of this time – even if they had screwed it up royally.

"Thank you, Niko," her voice was so weak, so broken, it broke his heart just a little bit more. She was doing that a lot today.

Then, as though she realised herself, she pulled back suddenly. He could see the clogs whirring in her mind. That was Helen, always thinking, always analysing. She never could just sit back and relax. There was always an explanation, always something else to contemplate, to tackle. Never an idle moment to be found with Helen Magnus.

"But what are you doing here?" she said.

"That's not a very nice way to greet a guest in your home, Helen, dear," Nikola drawled, "Particularly one who just saved you from your crazy ex."

Her eyes flashed and he swore she may be about to cry. She didn't give him the prolonged pleasure of seeing her sadness though as she turned, hand on hip, to face away from him.

"Helen," he took a step toward her, "I'm sorry. That was harsh. Forgive me?"

She turned to face him once more, her bright blue eyes glistening with the remnants of unshed tears. A small smile crept onto her face once again – though he suspected it was a reluctant one. He was very good at dragging smiles from her unwillingly.

"Always, Nikola," she said. "But let's not talk about John anymore. He's done enough damage as it is."

As she spoke she walked the short distance back to the wooden column where she'd been backed into before. She ran her fingers over the blade that was still stuck ominously in the wall, like a tangible reminder of the damage John was still doing, always doing, to her and her heart. He saw her clench her jaw and then decisively pull the blade from the wall, folding it shut, and placing it in a drawer. She would put it away, pretend it wasn't affecting her as deeply as it was, and that would be it. She wouldn't discuss the matter with him further.

He watched her movements carefully, noting how tense she was, and the slight shake to her hands. She wasn't okay. But how could he comfort her? He had to find a way to explain away his presence.

Before he had any chance to think about how exactly to do that, she turned to him once more, smoothing down her skirts with a falsely bright smile on her face.

"Now," she said, "Let us call for some tea and you can enlighten me as to the reason for your sudden presence – not that it's unwelcome, just surprising."

"Right, tea, yes," he said, as she threaded her arm through his. He could only manage to speak in rather singular phrases at the moment.

\|\||

"Where do you think Nikola has disappeared to?" James said.

"How should I know?" Helen said, "Knowing Nikola, he found a pigeon that he simply had to hold an in depth discussion with."

"Am I sensing some troubles in paradise?" James quirked an amused brow.

"Could you perhaps make an effort to be a little less smug, James, dear?" she replied. She'd decided that not getting flustered every time James suggested oh so casually at her and Nikola's coupling was a much more sensible route to take.

"But you know me so well, my dear," James retorted, "And yet you still expect that of me?"

Her lips quirked upwards but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a smile. The cheeky bloody monkey that he was, trying to get her to admit she and Nikola were an item. He was damn-right nearly as incorrigible as Nikola at times, but never quite as much.

She was just about to respond to him when they heard footsteps approaching the main lab, heeled footsteps. Unless Nikola had suddenly taken to cross dressing, it was her past self. Helen quickly dashed away before James could say anything.

"Are you alright, you seem rather flustered?" James asked, as his Helen entered the lab.

He could see an unmistakable redness around her eyes despite the smile on her face.

"I'm fine," she waved a hand to brush off his concern, "You'll never guess who has come to visit!"

James risked a sideways glance to where he knew future-Helen was concealed.

"I'll wager I can make a fair attempt at guessing," he said grimly.

"What do you mean by that?" she said with a frown.

"Oh, just something about the smile on your face, darling," James smirked.

"You can tell who is visiting by the way I am smiling?" she said, sceptically.

"It is the same smile you wore whenever you and Nikola were up to no good at Oxford, darling," he said.

She looked confused for a moment before shaking her head in amusement.

"Dear James, sometimes I forget just how perceptive you are," she said, "Come, we're having tea. It's been so long!"

"I'll be along in a minute," James said, "Just let me finish packing away my instruments down here. Don't get into any trouble in my absence."

"You're in a mood today," she shook her head as she walked away. The excitement at having one of her oldest, dearest friends back with her was overshadowing the concern of James's bizarre behaviour.

Almost the moment past-Helen had disappeared; future-Helen emerged and walked over to James. Her hands were on her hips and a furious expression in place on her face.

"I am going to _kill _Nikola," she growled.

"There may be a perfectly rational explanation for all of this Helen," James shrugged.

"Perfectly rational?" she seethed, "He's gone and completely muddled the timeline! Bloody hell. Bloody _bloody _hell. What are you playing at Nikola?"

"Why don't I go and figure it out?" James said, "I can find some way to get Nikola alone for a moment and ask him."

"Whatever his reason he's already done it," Helen said.

"Calm down, dear," James said, "Remember, we still need to find and stop Worth."

"Yes, well we've already done a spectacular job at messing up the timeline ourselves," she replied.

"Not necessarily, my dear," James said, "She does still think it's her Nikola. We can continue to let her think that."

"What if she speaks of this visit to the real Nikola of this time?" Helen said. "What then?"

"One step at a time," James said. "I'll try and come back and update you as soon as I can." He made to move away but then stopped, smirked, and turned back to her. "Not that I think that will be too difficult. You and Nikola are apparently an inseparable pairing in any time."

He quickly moved away before something hit him, which he was sure would happen judging by the murderous glint in Helen's eye.


	8. Chapter 8

**Don't kill me at the first bit, just keep reading and I promise you'll like it. **

\||\\

It wasn't until now that James had the time to really scrutinize Helen and Nikola's improper relationship. When he'd first met Helen, she and Nikola had been in the beginnings of their friendship. Not that the statement in itself represented much, they'd became close friends – closer than they should have been – very fast. He'd always been warily convinced they'd been separated at birth. That notion had lasted a short time, until he'd begun to notice the touches, the looks, all less than innocent had they come from less naive minds. For a pair of people so brilliant, Helen and Nikola had always been so thick-skulled about what was right in front of them. James had been convinced the pair would be engaged at some point. But then John and Helen had started courting. So Helen and Nikola had always remained the puzzle Watson could not solve. Their relationship one he never understood.

He watched them now, trying not to think too deeply about the fact that one part of the duo was from a hundred years in the future, trying to pick them apart.

"You really ought to have written, Nikola," Helen said, placing her tea-cup on the table beside her. James noted this with narrowed eyes. Usually, Helen opted to hold the cup poised delicately in her hands as she drank. His eyes zeroed in on the slight tremor in her hands that would explain the oddity. Something had shaken her.

"But then where would the surprise be, darling?" Nikola said.

"I suppose you're right," she huffed lightly. Even in conceding defeat, Helen had distaste for not getting her way.

Nikola smiled. The Helen he knew would have offered him a biting retort. The confidence and need to be in control, bred from a hundred years of making herself into the stoic boss she was today (or was going to be).

"Where would you be if I hadn't arrived when I did?" he said, his eyes flashing more seriously. Helen held her chin high – defiance, James noted, for what he did not know. He watched as she aimed a careful glare at her long time friend.

"Let's not dwell, Nikola," she said, firmly.

"I am concerned only for your safety, Helen," Nikola returned. Helen blanched somewhat. James cast a worried glance at Nikola. Was Helen beginning to notice the subtle changes in the vampire that differentiated him from the one of their own time?

"Well, you shouldn't be," she insisted.

"I get the sense I am missing something vital here," James interrupted for the first time since he'd entered the room.

"Something you have yet to deduce, James, dear?" Helen said with a teasing edge to her tone.

"Helen," Nikola said warningly. The blonde offered him another stern look. But her eyes were widened, giving away just how shaken she was. "Druitt was here." Her eyes widened more completely now, before darting down to her lap where she smoothed her skirts. She bit her lip, to stop the trembling that threatened to begin more than anything, James suspected.

"What? When?" James said, standing. His eyes were ablaze as a fierce protectiveness overcame him.

"It's nothing, James," Helen insisted.

James looked over to Nikola, who was watching Helen with concern. It all made a lot more sense now, Nikola's sudden entanglement in past-Helen's timeline. But what had Druitt been trying to do?

"You cannot simply brush this under the rug, Helen, and pretend it never happened," Nikola said. He was standing too now, his eyes darkened.

Confronted by the two men – two men who had always been so close to her heart – Helen seemed to crumble. She was still seated on the couch, her eyes cast downward, and her hands fidgeting in her lap. Neither man could remember ever seeing her look so small or so vulnerable. Both were overcome with waves of guilt, their anger giving way to the other emotion at having made her feel so wretched. It was her who had the right to be angry after all. John was terrorizing her.

"What else is there for me to do?" she said.

Her blue eyes were fierce now as she looked up at the two men defiantly, determinedly.

"What would you have me do, Nikola?" she stood now, pacing with her hands on her hips, "No matter how I confront John it does not penetrate the madness that clouds his mind. This is our dance, not yours. I must deal with it myself."

"Has he been here before, Helen?" James narrowed his eyes.

She didn't answer. But her lack of response spoke volumes more than her words could.

"What do you think would have happened if I had not interrupted?" Nikola pushed. "Johnny boy didn't look in the mood to just talk, Helen." He paused, emotion flashing in his eyes, "I saw him hold a blade to your neck – _Jack the Ripper _holding a blade to your neck. Forgive me for acting." He spat the last part out.

James's eyes widened at this additional information, his mind rapidly piecing together what must have occurred for this Nikola to mess with the timeline.

"He wouldn't hurt me," Helen said, eyes burning into Nikola ferociously.

"Are you so sure of that, Helen?" Nikola said.

"He wouldn't _kill _me," she amended, firmly.

They remained silent. Something in her words ringing firm and true. If John had wanted to kill Helen, he had ample opportunity over the years. Perhaps more so than James had ever been privy to, a thought that chilled him.

Helen broke eye contact with Nikola and turned away. One hand remained on her hip while the other rose to her face to deal with an errant tear.

James looked over to Nikola. He seemed to be warring with himself over what to do. He could see the yearning in the other man's face to go over and comfort her. But then this wasn't _his _Helen to comfort.

"Give her some space," James said softly, stepping toward the vampire, "Go, find _your _Helen, talk to her."

Nikola stared at James inquisitively for a moment, his eyes risking a glance at past-Helen, before returning to the detective. Was James being...possessive? He frowned curiously. He'd never known James to exhibit such possessiveness. But this was a completely ludicrous situation.

Slowly, he nodded. The need to find and explain the situation to his Helen overwhelming his bemusement at James.

\||\\

She wasn't in the lab as he'd assumed she would be. He found her eventually in her old bedroom. He knew they'd be safe enough there, James occupying past-Helen. He pushed the door open gently, so as not to startle her. She was standing at the vanity with a wistful smile on her face. She was looking down at something, her fingers touching it as she obviously remembered something from long ago.

He took a few steps into the room to see what had caught her attention, and his heart sunk when he did.

He recognised the piece of jewellery instantly. How could he not? It had been the symbol of his pain so many years ago when she'd first giddily shown it to him. It was the engagement ring that Druitt had given her. He could have laughed now. What a hollow symbol it had proven to be. It was a good decade ago for past-Helen, and John had put her through so much pain. Yet, she still kept the ring?

Nikola was overwhelmed with the feeling of anger, the emotion bubbling up. Perhaps he had physically made the growl that had threatened to escape him, because Helen looked up. She caught his frowning reflection in the mirror standing a few paces behind her. Her fingers left the ring and she turned to face him.

"How can you be angry at me?" she said, her face sporting a frown to match his own, "It is me who should be angry with you after what you did."

He couldn't think about his incident with past-Helen, his mind completely consumed by...what? Anger? Jealously?

"You kept the ring," it wasn't a question, and she blanched at the accusing tone of his voice.

"What?" she said, surprised at the sudden turn in conversation. Hadn't she been about to scold him for messing with the timeline?

He nodded angrily toward the offending item on the vanity table. Her eyes followed his, trailing back down to the ring and then back to his face. He watched the confusion flickering across her face.

"I hate to point out the obvious, Nikola, but this isn't me," she said, "Well, _she _is keeping the ring...you know what I mean."

"You kept the ring," he repeated, taking a few steps toward her, "For her it's been a decade and she still keeps it in her dresser. _You _still kept it in your dresser."

He didn't know what it was, the mixture of past-Helen's words in the drawing room earlier or his anger at catching his Helen gazing so wistfully at the ring that got him riled up.

Understanding flashed across her face.

"Oh, Nikola," she said, softly, "It's not... it's not what you think."

"What should I think?" he said, angrily, turning away from her. He was such a fool. "I have no right to think _anything_. I never did. It was always John, wasn't it? Tell me, Helen, do you wish it were him who had stepped back in time with you?"

He shook his head. He felt so much pain in his chest right now, and it took him a moment to realise his heart may just be breaking. He'd dealt with the thoughts that Helen would never return his feelings, after so many years of her giving no indication of anything more than friendship. But lately he'd thought it was different. He'd thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd been wrong.

But seeing her here now, and witnessing her counter-part's emotional reaction downstairs, he wondered if anything at all had changed.

"Really, Helen? Pining over a mad-man _still_?" Nikola spat. He couldn't help but lash out at her. His heart was breaking once again, as it had so many years ago, over her.

"Oh for Heaven's sake!" she said, her tone exasperated.

He frowned, turning to her to say something more, not ready for her to be so close to him. Their faces were inches apart and she looked rather amused.

"Helen, what -?" he began to say but she cut him off by rather forcefully pressing her lips to his. He remained frozen for a moment, his brain confusedly trying to catch up with what the hell was happening. But the feel of her lips on his was doing hazardous things to his rational mind. He growled and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close, as he hungrily kissed her back. His tongue darted out, demanding entrance to her mouth, to which she willingly obliged.

She broke away from him moments later, he followed as she moved away, frowning in confusion. She placed a hand on his chest.

"You're an idiot," she said. He frowned even more. He was so confused and really had no idea what was going on. Nikola Tesla didn't deal well with not knowing.

She broke away from his embrace, shaking her head, and pacing for a few moments restlessly before turning to face him once more.

"I kept the ring, Nikola," she said, deliberately slowly, "As a reminder. I wasn't pining, well not in the way you think, not for that long. John caused me a great deal of pain and... the ring reminded me of that. Everything that happened changed me, Nikola. Keeping the ring wasn't indicative of some school-girl fantasy about John being cured and us living happily ever after... It will always be a part of me, of who I am."

Her eyes begged him to understand. Perhaps he had been a little quick to anger. But seeing her with the ring had sparked such rage within him. Her lips twitched upwards.

"Though your jealousy is rather endearing," she said.

"I am not jealous," he scoffed. She smirked.

She walked back toward him, stroking a hand across his cheek.

"If you'll stop contradicting me," she said, "Perhaps I can tell you why you are an idiot?"

"Oh, you know I love nothing more than to hear you tell me how foolish I am," he said sarcastically.

"How can you not see, Nikola, how can you not _have seen_?" she said, ignoring his comment. "I suppose I can't blame you, no matter how I try, when it took me so long to see it myself."

"See _what_?" he said.

For someone so brilliant, he really could be dense sometimes.

"_This_," she said, before grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him in for another searing kiss. This one was shorter than the other and she didn't give him the opportunity to deepen, pulling away after a few glorious moments.

"Helen, I don't..." he said.

"Why do you think I was so mad at you downstairs?" she said, "My past self I mean."

"Were you listening at the door?" his eyes narrowed.

"No, well yes, but that's not the point," she said, "I – _she _– was mad because she was so happy to see you, yet all you could think about was John and him being there... she was shaken, yes, but her happiness to see you overshadowed it."

He stared at her for a long moment, just blinking. She laughed.

"It all seems so foolish now," she shook her head, "All those years..."

He smiled, finally understanding what she was trying to say, even if his heart cautiously wasn't sure whether to believe it. It was too good, after all.

"Well, we _are _in 1898," he grinned, pulling her close with both hands around her waist once more, "We have all those years again."

Her smile was quite possibly the most brilliant sight he had ever seen, and he didn't even give a damn about the horrid cliché that thought represented. Screw it all to hell, he'd proudly be a walking cliché if it meant he could watch her smile all day.

"Stop thinking and kiss me, Nikola," she demanded.

"Why, Miss Magnus, what an inappropriate thing for a lady such as yourself to say," he said.

"Cheeky bloody monkey," she managed to mutter before he silenced her with another kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

**I couldn't resist the start of this chapter. Don't worry, that doesn't mean anything nearly as dubious as you thought it did. Unless you weren't thinking of anything dubious. **

**As always I offer thanks to all of you have been reviewing. I try to think of something else to say that doesn't end up being the exact same thing every chapter, but really all I can think of to say is – thank you, thank you, thank you. :)**

\||\\

Nikola's heart felt like it was racing with his mind to keep up on what was going on. Helen was in his arms. Helen was in his arms _kissing _him. It seemed too good to be real. Then, just as though life had tapped into his thoughts and agreed with him, she froze, pulling away.

"What?" he said, fear striking him. She'd realised she didn't love him, she didn't want him, it was all a huge mistake. "What is it?"

"Footsteps," she said. Or it could be that she'd heard someone coming. "Quickly." She nudged him to the wardrobe. "There's no time to get out of the room."

He couldn't help but grin as she shoved him into her old wardrobe, climbing in after him and shutting the door.

"What?" she whispered.

"It's like we're those young things again," he grinned, speaking softly, "And your father has come home early from a trip..."

She shot him a 'you're really going to do this now?' look. He stayed silent but the grin was still firmly in place on his face. Helen Magnus had been kissing him, and they'd almost been sprung, like a pair of horny teenagers. Could this day get any better? Well, aside from the whole inadvertently muddling with their timelines debacle but, really, it was one tiny little blunder and he had just been kissing Helen Magnus.

Helen was eyeing him as though she knew exactly what he was thinking – and she probably did – and so smacked him softly on the arm. He looked at her with a frown, feigning hurt. She rolled her eyes in response and mouthed 'focus' to him. All he was focused on was the way her lips moved so delicately to form the word.

The bedroom door opened and past-Helen sauntered in. Nikola would have said 'like she owned the place' but then she did own the place.

She moved over to the desk, shuffling through some papers.

Future-Helen looked over to Nikola, and was startled to see how close they were. She could have sworn they'd been standing at least two feet apart in the wardrobe before and now their faces were inches apart. He was smiling at her and then she felt his hand against her ribs, trailing down until it found residence on her waist, tugging gently to bridge the miniscule gap between them.

His intentions were perfectly clear and, had she not been so intoxicated by his lips from their earlier make-out session, she probably would have been able to keep a logical mind and resist. They really shouldn't be making out like a pair of teens in the wardrobe while her past-self was in the room, unbeknownst of their presence. If her past-self opened the door to see her future-self, who knows what chaos could occur. But none of that seemed very important to Helen as Nikola's lips pressed against hers.

They were broken apart when they heard a sigh. Helen jumped. Why was everyone suddenly creeping up on her today? She blamed Nikola. Him and those distracting lips. She glared at him and he frowned in confusion.

"Where has Nikola run off to?" past-Helen mused to herself (well, she thought it was to herself). Her hands were on her hips and she was looking at the door thoughtfully. She was standing a few metres away from the wardrobe. This time it wasn't Nikola's presence that was making future-Helen's heart beat fast.

It was only when her former-self left the room that Helen let out the breath she'd been holding.

"What was that lethal glare for?" Nikola said, amusedly. He was pushed out of the wardrobe – rather roughly too, as Helen had decided being in closed spaces with him was not the way to get things done today.

"For serving as an all-too effective distraction," she said, stepping gracefully out of the wardrobe after his stumbling form. "If she'd opened that door..."

"She would have seen a future-version of herself and myself kissing?" Nikola smirked, "As opposed to just seeing a future version of yourself and your friend, which would be much more understandable."

"You should follow her," Helen said, ignoring his remark.

"I never thought I'd hear permission to stalk you," he grinned, taking a step toward her.

"More like I have a problem with you standing me up in any timeline," Helen retorted. "She's wondering where you've run off to."

"We could always spend another few minutes in the wardrobe," Nikola suggested, "In case she returns. Just to be safe."

"Go," Helen said, shaking her head in amusement.

He flashed her a smile before he headed to the door and Helen felt a surge of something peculiar. If she didn't know any better, she would say that was jealously she was feeling. But that would just be absurd. How could she possibly be jealous of her former-self spending time with her Nikola? When he returned, she was going to kill that vampire for making her such a mess over him.

\||\\

"James!" James spun around, his mind immediately recognising the voice of the mysterious future-Helen rather than the one of his own time. "How did you manage to slip away unnoticed?"

James smirked.

"When you and Nikola are the other two occupants of the room?" he said, "All too easily, my dear." She shook her head and rolled her eyes in response.

"Honestly," she muttered under her breath.

"Do you not wish to hear what I have found out?" he prodded.

"James, I don't have time to think about Nikola, or your suspicions, or any evidence you have found to support your assertions pertaining to our relationship -," she said.

"My dear," he stepped toward her with a twinkle in his eye, "I meant in regards to Adam Worth."

"Ah...well," she said, clearing her throat, and feeling foolish that it had been _her _mind that had immediately jumped to Nikola. Again. "Yes, then I would very much like to hear what it is you have discovered."

James stood regarding her with amusement for a long moment, obviously silently lording the small triumph over her. This time, he was letting the evidence speak for itself about his assumptions to do with the pair.

"I just got news that Worth has been spotted at a club," James said.

"Well that could be either of the Adams," Helen reminded.

"Ah, yes, but you did not let me finish, my dear," he said, "You see this Adam was seen at the club at a time which coincides with the time in which we were with his counterpart."

"So it must be my Worth then," Helen said, eyes widening with delight at the progress.

"I do not trust that spark in your eye," he said, "You may be a future version of the Helen I know, but I _know _that look, and it never means anything good."

"Relax, James, dear," Helen said with a little smirk, "I'm going to pay a friend a little visit."

She patted him on the shoulder as she brushed past him, and he spun around to watch her go in concern. He could follow her to make sure she was alright, or more to the point, to make sure she didn't do anything too foolish. But he'd never known Helen Magnus – in any time – to listen a damned word anyone said to dissuade her once she was on a warpath. Her determination was astounding, and he'd be more impressed if it were not so frustrating. But there was one person who he knew could very well get her to listen, at least marginally. Or at the very least, could conceivably go along with whatever scheme she was cooking up in order to protect her. Nikola Tesla, her eternal partner in crime.

\||\\

When James walked into the study where Helen and Nikola were having tea, he wasn't the least surprised to see they'd forgone propriety and were both seated on the floor. The pair were sitting in front of the hearth, a fire burning almost as brightly as his own Helen's eyes as she talked to her old friend. There were two cups of tea and a teapot placed delicately around them – deliberately positioned to avoid her ample skirts which flared out about her.

"Oh but you simply must tell me about it, Niko," she was saying, as she swatted his hand playfully.

"James," Nikola's eyes sought him out. It was thought he were looking for escape.

The problem was, Nikola was feeling too comfortable around her. This was Helen. It didn't matter that she was a hundred years younger, she was still Helen. It wasn't that he wanted to initiate anything now – of course not – he'd surmised as much before. He was too much in love with the woman, his love growing along with her as she'd weathered so many years, he knew now. But he'd never thought it would be this painful to sit and talk to past-Helen like this. It had all seemed so un-fix-ably complex then. But now it all seemed painfully simple. His heart ached to think of all the years that he – _they _– had wasted being complete and utter idiots. For, he was sure now that if he leant in to kiss her she would not pull away. This was something he longed to share with his former self so that maybe, just maybe, it would serve to metaphorically knock their heads together and they could save themselves all the heart-ache of a hundred years of pining.

So much for all their brilliance, they were both idiots, plain and simple.

Helen had seemingly not even noticed Watson enter the room until Nikola had greeted him. He nodded at them both in greeting, but couldn't help but feel rushed. He had a sinking feeling that future-Helen was rushing into something thoroughly unprepared and dangerously.

"Nikola," James said, "We've received a message for you, and it appears to be rather urgent."

Nikola surveyed James and understood his meaning. Future-Helen was up to something. Nikola nodded.

"I'm afraid we'll have to pick up later," Nikola addressed past-Helen now.

"Yes, yes of course," she responded. She stood as he stood though, and James recognised the sparkle in her blue eyes as alarmingly similar to the one he'd seen in her counterpart's eyes minutes ago. Nikola seemed to recognise the look too.

"Helen," he said, warningly.

"Oh, Nikola," she said, "When have you ever shut me out of a potential adventure? That's not fair, I always let you in on the good things." She offered a little smile.

"I'm sure this is terribly dull," he replied, "Simply some things to do with designs, nothing that would constitute an adventure."

She let out a little huff.

"Fine," she said, "If you do not wish to be in my company any longer, I shall make myself scarce."

He was torn as he watched her stalk off, but ultimately knew he had to get rid of her somehow to aid his Helen. So he turned to James instead.

"What is it? What has she gone and done?" he said.


	10. Chapter 10

**THANK YOU so much to each and every one of my amazing reviewers. Tesla-stache cookies to all of you from my eternal cookie b**** chartreuseian...because I haven't forced her to make virtual cookies in such a long time and I feel I ought to else she feel safe. ;) **

\||\\

It was raining outside as Helen stalked determinedly through the streets of London. Not outrageously, and certainly not enough to deter the woman in her steely resolve. She was garnering a number of nervous and curious looks from the people she passed by. Her clothes may be more in line with the modest cuts of the era, but it seemed she stood out just at starkly as before for her attitude. She clearly did not belong in this time, not anymore. She had never really thought about just how much she herself had changed since her young, bright-eyed days of her true timeline. Of how much she had been forced to change. Because that is what it always came down to in the end, era to era, decade to decade, she was forced to adapt whether she wished to or not. Imperceptible as some of those changes were, they were still there. It was another of the reasons she often resented her source blood 'gift' (even if momentarily). She was terrified that she would someday lose who she was in the tumultuous shift of time.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hardly noticed when she'd arrived. She gritted her jaw as she gazed upon the gentleman's club, the architecture of the building leaving only the slightest pang in her chest as she thought about home, about this time. She leant against a lamppost across the road, her left hand gripping her umbrella a little tighter than strictly necessary as her right sought out the support of the post. Within those walls, within the backwards club of which women were still barred, was the man who had done nothing but serve as a thorn for many years. The countless lives that had been lost due to his carelessness and callous lack of concern astonished her. He was the embodiment of so many of the things she had spent a life-time fighting to prevent.

She let her right hand slide down the lamppost, slick from rain, and to her side where she retrieved her poorly concealed weapon. She relished the feel of its comforting weight in her hand, so familiar, so soothing.

She took a deep breath as she caught sight of Adam through the window. Taking a deep breath, she made to move to cross the road. But something caught her arm, preventing her from storming into the club and ending this right now.

She spun around, furious to be interrupted, and ready to fight whatever person dared unwittingly manhandle Helen Magnus. Her gun was pointed in their face within seconds and the attacker relinquished their hold of her arm.

She let out a relieved gasp, some of her anger melting away to be replaced by frustration.

"Nikola," she hissed.

She lowered the weapon but only slightly, she may just be tempted to shoot him regardless.

"What are you doing here?" she said.

"Preventing you from doing something irreversibly stupid," he responded calmly.

She was seething now.

"Ending this with Adam is not stupid, Nikola," she said, "It's a necessity. How many lives, how many more lives, do you think he's going to destroy before he gets his way? And when he saves his daughter, what then? I doubt he'll be satisfied to settle down in a nice little sea-side cottage and write sonnets for the rest of his days!"

Nikola blanched at her outburst. He knew she could get rather one-minded in her determination at the best of times, particularly when it involved protecting others, but this was more emotional than he was used to seeing her.

"Helen, I want to prevent Adam from altering history as much as you," he reasoned, "But charging into a club with guns _literally _blazing is not the way to prevent such a thing."

"But he's in there Nikola, we're so close!" she said. "Who knows when we'll get another chance such as this?"

"Did you think about what would happen should you do just that, Helen, charging in there?" Nikola said, not really used to having to play the logical party to a foolish plan, "How it _would _change the timeline? 'Dr Helen Magnus kills scientist Adam Worth in plain sight...' My God, Helen, that's a stupid plan even for you. And this is coming from someone who usually thrives on ambitious, rushed schemes so you _know _I'm right."

She huffed, crossing her arms.

"We're so close," she uttered, more softly this time, and he was struck by just how broken she sounded. He frowned. This wasn't just about Adam, this was something else.

"What is it, Helen?" he said, taking a step toward her, "Tell me, ljubav, what's wrong?"

She looked up at him, her arms wrapped about herself in a protective cocoon now. She looked so vulnerable he wanted to do nothing more than to pull her into his arms himself. But, when he tried to do so, she took a step back, evading his reach.

"Helen..." he said. His voice sounded weaker than he was comfortable with, hurt when she recoiled physically from his touch.

"Is it... is it your father?" he said, having a thought. After all, Worth was responsible for her father's death in Praxis. Her wide blue eyes found his face and he frowned quizzically. No, it wasn't that, but he had hit a nerve.

Suddenly, it became clear, and he let out a small puff of breath. He didn't know how he hadn't seen it before.

"Ashley," he stated. Her eyes flittered away from him to the ground. He could see she was desperately trying to prevent herself from crying as she bit her lip. This time she didn't move away as he took a step closer to her.

"Adam Worth is literally breaking the laws of science as we know them," she whispered softly. "Moving heaven and earth... to save his daughter." She let out a strangled sob. "And here I am, trying to stop him so desperately...chasing him into the past to prevent him from doing so... when all I can think about is how much I want to do the same."

Nikola's heart almost broke as her eyes met his. He hadn't seen her so sad since the death of her daughter. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat as he pulled her into his arms, this time without any resistance from her. She choked out another sob and the tears became to flow down her cheeks with any more fight from her. Nikola stood in the rain of Victorian London, a terrible weight settling over his heart as he held in his arms the woman he loved as she fell apart. The knowledge that she was reliving history, that she had the chance to potentially save her daughter but could not (and was working so hard in preventing Worth from doing what she wanted to do so badly), was killing her. There wasn't a damn thing he could do to alleviate her pain.

|\\||

**Not much action, I know, but I thought I owed it to Ashley to throw it in there, even if I wasn't particularly partial to the character herself. I think it ought to have been addressed more in the show. After all, it must have killed Helen to go back in time to stop Adam from doing what she must have been sorely tempted to do herself... **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone. **

**So, since I can't seem to think of a creative way to thank you all, I will as always just say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK. You guys rock, Tesla style. :) Your reviews are always so lovely and humbling. **

**Just a heads up, I'll try and update this next weekend but I'm going on a camping/hiking trip all through the week so I won't be able to work on it/have any internet reception or computer. I could handwrite I guess but then I'd have to carry a notepad in my pack and I'm too pathetic to add to the weight. It's that or the tea-bags guys and I really need my tea or I'll go all Monsoon-style-Helen! :P**

\||\\

"Isn't this the perfect picture of bliss?" a scathing voice broke through the little cocoon they'd constructed for themselves, blocking the pain, blocking the rain, blocking the world.

Helen gasped, her grip tightening on Nikola's rain-slick jacket, as she looked up to see none other than Montague John Druitt. His eyes were ablaze, his shirt wet and clinging to his muscular frame with several of the top buttons undone. He wore a light black over-coat and his hair was tied up messily with a ribbon, as usual. It was so different from the John Druitt she knew in their own time, the future John. She couldn't decide which of the two was madder. Looking at his steely blue gaze now, she settled on this version of the man, still fresh from his killing spree a decade ago and not as in control as the John from her time. This, in itself, was saying something.

"John," she clenched her jaw and straightened up. Regrettably, she let go of Nikola, though her body remained firmly pressed against his, drawing her strength from him.

It was a jolt to see John like this, as he had been. Not only was it a tug on her heart, bringing forth both good and bad memories alike, but it did nothing to quell the aching of her heart. This man was the father of her daughter, after all. She was still so raw in her pain, the tears would no doubt still have been clinging to her lashes and cheeks had it not been raining so heavily.

"Your hair," John said. His voice was shocked, with only a hint of the mocking and coldness she had grown used to hearing.

She'd almost forgotten that this John had seen her past-self not all that long ago.

"I like it," he said, a dark grin twisting his lips. "Now, isn't this cosier than before? Out in my playground, without James at your beck and call." The lilt of mockering had returned to his tone as his eyes darted over to Nikola. The vampire stood just behind Helen, ready to strike if the mad-man threatened her in any way.

"We don't have time for this, John," Helen said. She was grateful that her voice sounded relatively firm, not betraying the turmoil she was experiencing with her chaotic emotions.

None of them really ever did give John enough credit for his perceptiveness, always overshadowed by James he had been. But perhaps he'd seen something between herself and Nikola too. More importantly, perhaps he had seen her own confusion at the way she'd felt about Nikola back then. Perhaps he'd seen her feelings for Nikola for what they really were long before she'd even seen it herself.

"Trouble in paradise?" he spat scathingly.

She'd forgotten how well he'd been able to read her moods too, somehow knowing she'd been distraught.

"Perhaps Helen is angry, old boy," John said, "Because you interrupted out little reunion earlier. Never mind, Helen and I will have plenty of time to catch up once I've dealt with you."

He accompanied the menacing statement with a flick of the wrist, producing his favoured pocket knife. It unfurled with a 'ping' and Helen's heart skipped a beat at the familiar sound, a sound she'd always involuntarily flinched at, a sound she'd always associated with John as Jack.

He took a step forward, Helen leaning back into Nikola instinctively.

Nikola let out a low growl and stepped around her, his hand brushing along her arm. Her hand followed him, reaching out to stop him from doing anything foolish. They'd messed around with the timeline far too much already.

"Nikola, no, don't," Helen said as Nikola's claws appeared. He rolled his head and let out a satisfied sigh as his eyes blackened and fangs grew. She recognised the slight shrug and shoulder roll that came after his transformation, as though he were settling into his other form.

John chuckled cruelly.

"She does like to boss us around, doesn't she, old boy?" he taunted as the two men circled each other. John, with his knees bent in a fighting stance and blade poised expertly in his palm, and Nikola with his claws held out to the side and his black eyes fixed on his opponent.

"Now, now, Johnny," Nikola said. Helen involuntarily shuddered at his lowered, vampiric voice. "Don't make me end you."

John smirked cockily.

"Stop this," Helen said, eyes darting between the two uneasily, "Now."

John gave her a twisted smile right before he lunged toward Nikola. He swished his blade through the air seamlessly as he made a slicing motion that would have landed right across Nikola's chest had the vampire not spun out of the way in time. He turned back to John, swiping his right claw through the air in retaliation, John avoiding the attack by ducking. They were both skilled and graceful fighters and Helen found her eyes riveted despite herself.

"Look what we have here," a voice that was far too familiar for Helen's liking sliced through the menacing air just as John's blade had done moments before.

John and Nikola paused in their dance as all three of them turned to see the new intruder on the intimate argument.

"Worth?" John vocalised, disbelief tinging his tone. "Another of our old _friends _lapping at your heels, darling?" His eyes bore into Helen fiercely.

"Me? No," Adam chuckled, "I'm not one of her little lackeys, not following her around helplessly like the rest of you. I just saw you all here and thought I'd come and say hello to my old friends."

"We were never friends, Adam," Helen said. John seemed a little taken aback at the coldness of her tone. She'd never been all that fond of Adam in his memory but nothing that warranted such a stony reception from her.

"Come now, Helen," Adam said. "There's no need to ruin the party."

Helen's finger twitched on the gun she held by her side. She could end this. She could end this right now. But Adam was obviously counting on her not letting John bear witness to it, he was part of her past after all, and killing a seemingly innocent (although unseemly) acquaintance unprovoked would most definitely alter it.

A small, spiteful part of Helen wanted to shock John and just kill Adam. It was partially his fault they were here in this situation after he'd so selfishly lent his services to Worth. But then she remembered the man who'd sacrificed himself to hold the rift open long enough for her (and Nikola) to come through. She remembered the man she had once known long ago at Oxford emerging when they'd discovered it was an energy elemental that possessed him, that was his madness.

"I see you've discovered what it is your fiancée liked to get up to doing when you weren't around," Adam grinned, "Or should I say '_who'_?"

He grinned, eyes settling pointedly on Helen and Nikola before drifting back to John tauntingly. That was all Helen needed right now, Adam toying with John's jealously.

It worked. John was nothing if not possessive and the thought of anyone, particularly Nikola, being with her was enough to provoke him. The anger that had been simmering so close to the surface had re-emerged and he let out a low, guttural growl. He lunged at Nikola once more. The action took the vampire by surprise.

It had, however, not taken Helen by surprise. She was far too used to John's green-eyed monster. It had been apparent long before his other monster had emerged. Before Adam had even finished his sentence, she'd shoved Nikola out of the path of John's imminent blade and twisted her arm up to knock John's. He went to hit her with his other hand but she stopped the blow expertly. John was only used to the prior version of herself who, though a competent fighter, was no where near as skilled as her future counterpart yet. He grunted in shock at her intervention but then his lips twisted in amusement and pleasure. It seemed he liked this side of her.

"I'll leave you three to it to settle this domestic dispute on your own then, shall I?" Adam smirked, as he paced away to the end of the alleyway. He grinned as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight, slipping out of their grasp.

Nikola watch him go desperately, then back at Helen. She was seething, letting all of her pent up rage out as she fended off blows from her former fiancé. They couldn't let Adam go either, he was undoubtedly close to curing his daughter.

Nikola swore. His indecision reflected in the frown marring his face. Half of him wanted to stay and help her, protect her. The thought of her getting hurt made him disregard any worry for the timeline or anything else. The other half, however, was more logical and knew Helen was more than capable of taking care of herself. She did not need to be coddled. She had proved time and time again that she was more than just formidable when it came to facing down the even most notorious foes.

"Damnit Helen!" he uttered. She showed no sign of relenting as she began to shower John with her own blows. Nikola could see that she needed this, she needed to fight John as much for their past arguments and unfinished business as for what he had done in the future. This John, past John, had been a nightmarish figure to her past-self. He'd toyed with her, terrorized and terrified her (though she would never admit it). Nikola had seen it himself only hours ago. He'd never even realised back then just how deeply it had affected her. Not for the first time, he wished he could go and whack his past-self on the head for being such an idiot and staying away from her. He'd thought she needed space, that she needed to be on her own as she'd always insisted to deal with John and the aftermath of it all. He should have insisted, he should have stayed by her side whether she liked it or not.

But right now, what she needed was a bit of revenge. She needed to feel in control again, powerful, for all those times John had made her feel weak and powerless. But what she needed from Nikola was to track Adam. They couldn't let him slip away.

He cast one last desperate look at her before dragging himself away, rushing around the corner where Adam had disappeared in pursuit of one madman, and leaving Helen to deal with the other.

||\\\

**Couldn't help but have Helen beat up Druitt as well (Or 'cracking the whip at him' if you like ;)). She needs it. :P**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yay I'm back. Did you miss me? Okay, it's been like five days but it felt longer to me because I was hauling a huge-ass pack on my back. Which, just to give you some perspective, I can fit into when it's empty if I curl up (not that I've tried...cough). **

**Got some dialogue stolen from the ep in here, but next chapter will have some more Nikola and Helen time-warp action. **

**Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing. I'm not just saying it when I say your reviews make my day. You guys rock. Give yourselves a pat on the back. Do it. Do it now. I don't see it happening. :P**

\\||\

She couldn't help but he pleased in a vindictive way at the surprise on John's face as she matched him blow for blow, and dished out some rather vicious attacks of her own. He'd been quite fine with terrorizing her former-self only hours ago, but he couldn't handle it when she fought back? Fine, she'd made him think twice before he went and haunted her anymore. As odd as playing one's own future-saviour was, it was also very satisfying.

She'd known Nikola would chase after Adam, probably even before he'd made the choice himself. If there was one thing she could rely on in him, it was knowing (from experience if anything) that she could take care of herself. He'd learnt early on in their relationship that she would not be coddled, not for her gender, not for anything.

John's lips curled in distaste and annoyance, he wasn't used to his victims fighting back so hard. He was getting angry. He was used to controlling her, to physically having an advantage. How far they'd come from those early days in her own timeline. He launched a desperate attack with his blade, one she had seen coming. She leaned to the side, avoiding the swipe easily, and swivelling agilely into a high kick. The blow landed with a thud and a moan from John. Helen smirked in satisfaction, her back to him as a result of the momentum of the swing kick. As nasty as it was, she was felt far too good letting out some of her anger on this man.

"You're insane," he said between pants.

She smirked.

"Very much so," was her response. "Fancy some more?"

She turned just as he attempted to hit her again. From behind no less, he must be growing desperate. She fended off his attack, kicking him once more, and he staggered backwards. Helen advanced on him as he waited, knees bent, with his knife for her. As much as she was enjoying this, it was time to stop playing. In a few svelte blows – ones she'd dished out to far too many adversaries in her long life - she had his arms pinned behind his back. Letting go, he staggered forward.

"How on earth did you...?" he panted, his voice hoarse. She didn't allow him to finish the sentence, dolling out the final blow, a kick that sent him sprawling to the ground. She bent over and grabbed the blade from his hand. But, it seemed as though she'd underestimated John – momentarily caught up in the fight and forgotten he was much more agile than even some of the best of her opponents. She staggered, which gave John the opportunity to return to his feet. He lost no time in launched another attack.

But she had the upper hand. She'd been fighting for too many years. Many of those fights dirtier than she would like to recall.

She soon had him pushed up against the brick wall, his own blade upon his throat, mimicking his earlier action against her former-self. She couldn't help herself, she was completely lost in her rage and the explosion of emotion from before.

"How does it feel?" she said harshly, "Cold steel against your jugular? In the hands of someone who knows how to kill you slowly and has the will to do it?"

She knew it as she said it, she'd gone too far. She could see it in his eyes. She was too far off the Helen of his timeline. Maybe James had been right, maybe she had changed. Maybe she'd changed more than she'd realised.

"Helen?" John said.

"Pay attention," she hissed, "Stay away from me." She hit each syllable firmly. She stepped back, releasing the blade from his throat, and he disappeared in an angry red flash.

She staggered back, panting. What she'd just done hit her like a charged up stunner gun. Not the official kind either, the kind Henry whipped up dangerously in his lab at last notice. But she couldn't dwell. The least she could do with her darker side, developed over so many years because of all the things she'd seen and done, was to shield her lighter former-self from her maddened ex-fiancé.

A loud bang broke her from her thoughts. She had to find Nikola and Adam. It wouldn't be too hard to source them out either, if the bang had anything to do with them, which it inevitably would.

She went to head off in the direction of the noise when she sensed something else, a presence, watching her. She looked up to see him perched on a roof above her. Spring-Heeled Jack.

"Hello Jack," she bit out. Would there be no end to hunting those who sought to cause harm for her tonight?

The abnormal responded by leaping down – living up to his nickname – from the roof-top to land easily by her side. He regarded her for a moment.

"Know my name, do you?" he ground out suspiciously.

"Yes, I know who you are," she said. She couldn't help but take a cautious step back. Helen knew what this abnormal was capable of. She hadn't survived for as long as she had by throwing caution to the wind unnecessarily.

"Jack knows you," he said, straightening up to his full, intimidating height. Helen responded by gripping the baton she'd fought off the other Jack with moments ago. Spring-Heel Jack pointed a finger at her. "You're Gregory's little girl."

"My father helped you," she said, testing the waters, "Years ago, saved your life."

"You're not a little girl anymore," he grunted, "Older now," he leant in toward her, a hand reaching out as though to touch her face, "Much, much older." Though she flinched when he reached out a hand, she drew herself up as they came face to face. "Smell like nothing I know." He walked away from her then, but she had a duty still to protect abnormals and humans from each other.

"You promised my father that you wouldn't kill again," she called out to him, "That you'd leave London."

"Jack did leave!" he spat angrily, turning back to her, "People hunted me down, like a dog. This is my hunting ground! Humans hunt Jack, Jack hunts humans. Here, my ground."

Though she could in no way condone the killing of innocent people (or abnormals) what Jack said was a story she'd heard all too often. People could be cruel. What they didn't understand, they would hunt down and eliminate. This is what reinforced her belief that humans just were not ready to face abnormals as a reality. To them, they were monsters, those creatures that went bump in the night but that they did not want to dwell on. Then there were the abnormals like Jack who were hunted down and so who retaliated by hunting the hunters. She remembered her father's belief so clearly that Jack would leave London, that he would hunt only animals. She trusted her father's judgement. It saddened her to see how the two dominant species quarrelled.

"The city's bigger," she appealed to him, "You'll be found, and killed."

"I'm strong, and too fast for them. They'll never find me." he said. He was right.

"I can," she said. "And I will. You can die like an animal or live with my protection. Be safe from humans."

"Humans can go to hell!" Jack said. He was so angry, so bitter, at the life he'd been forced to lead by the fear of humans. Hunted and feared at every turn. "With my help." Her sympathy was limited, however. No amount of suffering would allow her to allow him to continue killing innocent people. That was no fair trade off.

"If you kill again," she said, taking a step toward him, "I can't guarantee your safety. Stop now and I'll give you Sanctuary." He looked as though he were seriously considering the offer. Freedom from being hunted, it was appealing to him. "You have my word. And my father's. I'm your friend."

He gave her one last look before springing off back to the roof with a growl. She looked after him with a sigh. Perhaps he was too far gone, but it made her think of her own timeline. The world needed some form of balance to be maintained between abnormals and humans. The current state of affairs when she'd left had not been positive, with the abnormals rising from Hollow Earth and her control being slowly dragged away and thrust into the hands of those with little experience or understanding of such delicate matters, nor a grasp on their importance. She could not let these two species tear themselves apart in their bitter resentment of each other.

As much as she would like to see a world where humans and abnormals lived harmoniously, all out in the open, she knew the time she had come from was still not ready. Perhaps even on the surface the Sanctuary had been too risky, too blatant. Perhaps she had become too ahead of herself in her own time, too complacent even. She'd become too liberal in her dealings with the powers that be.

The world was just not ready.

They needed more protection, somewhere more permanent. They needed a true Sanctuary, a place to call home far more than just a stop along the way.

An idea was forming in her mind, a Sanctuary like none they had ever seen before. A place she had always dreamt of, but never had the time. Now, she and Nikola had nothing but time. Well, provided they managed to stop Adam Worth.

\\\||

**Yep, I totally decided to start weaving in the New Sanctuary. I just thought Spring-Heeled Jack was totally cool in the ep and wanted to have him in there... :P **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey lovelies. Once again I'll take a moment to sound like a broken record and thank you all wholeheartedly for the reviews! I love you all! LOVE. Have some forcefully baked Tesla-cookies from my cookie bi***chartreuseian. She loves being whipped into slave-labour. Really she does. **

\||\\

Her heart was racing, as though it was desperately trying to keep pace with her feet as they struck the cobblestoned pavement in rapid, rhythmic bounds. She'd heard three very violent, very dramatic bangs – bangs loud enough she knew that even in the seedier alleys of downtown London they would not be ignored. She had to get to Nikola and Adam before anyone else did. She had to get to Nikola and Adam.

She flew around the corner, knowing she must be close, gun at the ready. She heard scuffling and narrowed her eyes, scanning the alleyway. She attempted to steady her breathing, knowing if she were close the sounds of her heavy pants would do nothing to help her with the element of surprise. But the mixture of adrenalin pulsing through her veins left over from her fight with John and her excitement at finally having Adam did nothing to calm her.

"You look like you've just beaten up a deranged ex, my dear."

"_Bloody _hell, Nikola," she hissed, swivelling around. The vampire smirked. Her gun had ended up uncomfortably close to his face as she'd spun around. He pushed it away with one hand absently.

"Oh please, darling," he drawled, "You were breathing so loudly I didn't need my vampiric senses to pick you up."

"Can we please not do this now?" she said. As much as she enjoyed and relished their banter, she really didn't think they ought to be allowing themselves to become so wrapped up in each other (which so often happened) right now.

His eyes sparkled knowingly as he leant forward, attempting to bridge the physical distance between them. This was a constant battle with them. Close just never seemed close enough.

"But you look so hot with a gun, ljubav," he said.

Bloody infuriating vampire. She was going to kill him, she was going to bloody kill him. But, then, she also wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him senseless. The use of that endearment in his native tongue always sent shivers through her.

"Ah," he said, "Before you act on that delightful little murderous glint in your eyes against me... may I suggest it would be better directed at someone else?"

"Where is he?" she growled. Suddenly her focus was drawn back to the issue at hand, and she was back to unstoppable-Helen-Magnus-on-a-warpath mode.

"He...got away," Nikola said. He at least had the decency to look somewhat ashamed, even if it was feigned.

"Nikola!" she snapped. "You let him get away? We had him!"

"Yes, well," Nikola said, shifting uncomfortably as her eyes gleamed murderously once again, eyeing her gun-hand.

"How could you?" she said, "When we were so close. We were so close to ending this!"

Suddenly his eyes snapped back to her face, dark and furious. How dare she insinuate he cared less than her? He may be more cavalier in his actions, but he was just as committed to ensuring the timeline remain intact – even if that meant his past-self would have to suffer along without her love for another odd hundred years.

"Oh, and I suppose you're not to blame at all are you?" he hissed, "Because you had better things to do at the time, it seemed, like getting even with your homicidal maniac of an ex!"

"How dare you bring him up like that," Helen said. "He approached us, or have you not forgotten your little alpha-male fight before? Am I too not allowed to express my anger against him, or have we digressed back to the Victorian Era in mentality too? You're not my protector, Nikola. I can handle myself."

"Oh yes, no one should ever be deluded into thinking that the great Helen Magnus needs _anyone_," Nikola said. "She does just fine playing protector and nurse-maid to the world's neglected. She's so self-sufficient that she's spent life-times pushing away anyone who matters!"

She slapped him then. Neither of them was really aware it was happening until a few seconds afterwards.

Nikola stood still, regarding her coolly. Her chest was heaving and her cheeks flushed red.

She was dangerous. Yet, still, in all her pure rage she managed to look utterly delectable. Her eyes sparkled darkly and her lips fiercely tight as her hands gripped her gun, and dressed in her dark leather dress, she truly was a sight to behold. She was spectacular. Helen Magnus in all her fearsome glory.

They held each other's gaze for a long moment, both their hearts racing. But this time, it wasn't the running that had raised her heart-rate. She was frowning and he was glowering.

Neither was quite sure which initiated it, but their lips met in a searing kiss. It wasn't gentle, loving, not like before. They both fought for dominance, attempting to force the other into submission. She nipped his bottom lip, forcing his mouth open, where their tongues continued the fight for supremacy. Nikola retaliated by gripping her hips roughly and pushing her backwards. She barely noticed as her body slammed forcefully against the brick wall, Nikola holding her pinned there with his vampiric strength. Nor did she really notice as her gun slipped from her fingertips, falling to the ground with a sharp clang.

With her newly freed hand she snaked her arm around his neck, digging her fingertips into the soft flesh at the back of his neck to pull him impossibly closer.

She wanted to taste more of him, wanted to feel him. Neededto feel him. God, it felt so good to kiss him. Why had she not done it sooner? Her emotions were all over the place. She was still such a mess from her tumultuous emotions from Ashley, then John, and then her outrage and renewed vigour with Spring-Heeled Jack. Then she'd rocketed back to anger towards Adam, misplaced at Nikola, and now she was angry at herself for convincing herself for so long he was bad for her. Dear Lord she was a mess.

Maybe it was a side-effect of time-travel? Of course, Nikola seemed relatively unaffected. Adam was always teetering the line of crazy, so it was hard to tell, they really had nothing to compare to. Of course, only Helen and Adam had thus far been exposed to their prior selves. Perhaps that had something to do with it. Or maybe she was just finally losing it.

She brushed the flickering thoughts aside as she focused on more important issues, such as the utterly dizzying way Nikola was kissing her right now.

"Heavens, it's just you two," came a far-too familiar voice. Her mind was still too fuzzy to really comprehend, all she wanted was Nikola. "What was all the noise about? The police will be here soon, we'd better hurry."

Now with their mouths apart, Helen began to focus again. She saw James standing, gun in hand, a few feet away by the corner. His eyes were darting about nervously, and she realised why when she heard the distant voices and footsteps.

Nikola let out a low growl, grabbing her hand, and dragging her off down the alleyway. James looked back cautiously before following.

"Where are we going? This street is a dead end," James said.

"Just follow me," Nikola insisted.

"I really must insist we go back and return to the Sanctuary!" James said.

Nikola rolled his eyes and continued onwards. Helen glanced back nervously, before allowing Nikola to lead her along. She trusted him, he wouldn't lead them astray.

When they reached the end of the alleyway, it indeed was a dead end. However, Nikola went to stand by an almost-concealed doorway. He felt around where the doorknob should have been for a few moments before it swung open, Helen feeling relief flood through her when it did. It wasn't that they'd done anything wrong perse, more that she did not fancy being arrested again. Nor she did particularly feel like trying to explain the loud bangs. Not to mention what would happen should her former-self find out that she'd been arrested twice already. Things could get very awkward very fast for Victorian-Era Magnus.

"Are we breaking into someone's home?" James asked as the three quickly entered the doorway, Nikola shutting it behind them.

"In case you can't tell in the darkness," Nikola whispered, "I'm rolling my eyes at you."

"And me at you," Helen said to Nikola.

"Yes but now I can feel you grinning," he replied.

"Would anyone care to move away from the darkness, or shall I continue to stand here so you two can flirt?" James said.

"Fine," Nikola huffed, "But only because Helen and I flirting in the light is much more fun. Ow, don't hit me!"

"Oh, sorry was that you?" Helen said innocently.

James pushed Nikola along then before he and Helen would either start hitting each other like children, or kissing again. They followed the vampire up a flight of stairs and through another door. He led them through a short hallway to another door, this one he pushed open easily and they entered what must have been a laboratory.

There was a large, cluttered lab bench in the centre with benches lining the walls covered in wires and beakers. The far side of the room had a slanting roof, made out of windows. It was quite an appealing location, and the scientist in each of them approved silently.

"This is what I was trying to show you before we...decided other activities were much more appealing," Nikola said, to Helen.

James smirked as Helen had the grace to blush.

"Not a couple, eh?" he said.

"This is Adam's lab?" she said, staunchly ignoring James. Nikola nodded.

"I found him here doing something on the bench," Nikola said, nodding towards it, "But I was too late."

"What were the bangs about?" she said, running her fingers along the bench surface before turning her eyes back to him when he remained silent for a moment. He looked sheepish.

"I may have tripped over a few items in my eagerness to apprehend him," he said. Helen grinned. "In my defence, his lab is quite messy and I was trying to grab the pest before he could get away."

"How did he get away?" Helen said. Even if Nikola had taken a rather spectacular fall, it was still unlikely Adam would be able to give the vampire the slip so easily.

"Ah, now there's the really interesting part," Nikola said, pointing upwards.

Attached to a wooden beam that ran across the underside of the roof in support was a device Helen recognised with much frustration.

"Time nodes?" she said.

"They appear slightly altered," Nikola said, "I took a quick look while I waiting for you to finish up your, uh, play-time with Johnny." Helen rolled her eyes and James gave her an odd look. "I don't think these manipulate time. In fact, I think using Johnny as a segue was rather ingenious of me -,"

"He's using them to mimic John's teleporting?" she guessed.

"You always spoil my fun with your powers of deduction," Nikola pouted.

"Really, Nikola, now is not the time to sulk about such things," she chastised absently, her eyes running over the node.

"How far do you think he could jump with those things?" James said.

"Who knows?" Nikola shrugged, "John can teleport over very large distances. What's to say Adam can't use them to do the same?"

"Yes but in theory Adam is limited as he needs there to be another connecting node at his destination," Helen said, looking to Nikola for confirmation and he nodded. "He can't have gone too far then."

"Unless his influence is much more far reaching than we initially suspected," Nikola pointed out.

"Yes, well, one step at a time and all that," Helen said, climbing up on the bench to reach for the node.

"For God's sake Helen," James said, "Why do all of our adventures always end up with you climbing onto something dangerous?"

She flashed him a grin.

"Come now, James," she said, "A table is hardly dangerous. It's rather tame really."

"Yes, but the suspiciously advanced piece of technology concocted by the mind of a madman is not," he said. She grinned again.

"Ah, but dear James, that's where all the fun is!" she exclaimed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys. So, as usual, inappropriate levels of love for all of the lovely people who reviewed... :) **

**||\\\**

It had taken the three of them half an hour to determine how to use the transportation nodes. It would have been a much shorter period of time had Nikola not been so enraptured by Helen on a table. James hadn't realised the irony of his previous concern about Helen standing on the table – it really wasn't the slipping he should have been worried about, but an amorous vampire. James was glad when they finally did figure it out, he'd begun to realise that the entertainment of watching Helen squirm and deny her relationship with the vampire was no longer as amusing now that he actually had to put up with the pair of them. He'd thought his Helen and Nikola were bad enough, but these two were positively infuriating.

So, half an hour later, they were still in Worth's lab arguing about the merits of following the maddened scientist.

"Now that would be foolhardy," James insisted logically. "It could well be a trap. He does know what Nikola witnessed after all."

"He has a point, Helen," Nikola conceded. James didn't miss the way the man edged further away from her than he had in the past thirty minutes when he disagreed with her. He bit back a chuckle at that. He himself knew all too well from experience how dominating Helen could be with her opinions in his time. He could only imagine how a future Helen was.

"He may well have a very valid point," Helen said, "But, do we really have much choice on the matter?"

That managed to silence her two men sufficiently.

"Good, it's decided then," she pressed on, refusing to give them enough time to figure out a counter-point.

"Helen, a unilateral decision is not the same as the point being resolved," James said amusedly.

"Well, if you two should wish to remain here and discuss the issue further, feel completely at your liberty to do so," she said, "In the meantime, I shall follow Adam."

Nikola let out a growl of frustration.

"You're going to be the death of me, ljubav, you really are," he muttered. James's brows shot up at the Serbian endearment but he didn't comment. Helen either hadn't noticed it, or was used to it.

"And you shall love every second of it," she retorted, flashing the vampire a wicked smile.

James truly felt like an outsider now. It wasn't the same as his Helen and Nikola when they bantered – though they did have the proclivity to exclude others unwittingly. This was more than that. He felt like he was missing so much, so much history. Which he was, they had lived an extra hundred years after all.

"I wish you two the best of luck then," he offered. Helen looked at him curiously. "It seems we have come to a cross-road of sorts, and this is your battle to fight." As much as he wanted to join them on this adventure, he knew it wasn't his place. He had no business gallivanting around with two future versions of his friends, hunting down the future version of a crazed acquaintance.

Helen nodded, seeming to understand. They had let James into their plan and secret because it had been necessary. But now it was time to part ways. The thought saddened her, and settled heavily on her heart. There would be no James to find back in their own times. She missed him dearly. She had missed him ever since he had left them, but now the wound was fresh once more. Before, at least they could come to terms with the loss. Now, seeing him again, made her realise how much she loved her friend dearly all over again and it was tearing her up to say goodbye. Maybe that was why she had let him in on their secret so easily regardless of the damage to the timeline it posed. She hadn't been able to resist spending this time with a lost friend.

"Then this shall be goodbye, old friend," Helen said, willing herself not to let the tears bubbling up within her burst forth. James was perceptive, obviously, and thus would suspect something amiss should she present such a sad front.

Nikola wished the man farewell too before setting up the transportation nodes, ready for them to follow Adam and continue their hunt. He turned his attention to the nodes, allowing them some privacy. He knew Helen had become very close to James after the Five had disbanded, and he knew how difficult this was for her. Even if it did cause a simmering jealousy within him, he would weather it for her.

"Helen," he spoke softly, and she turned her head, understanding he meant they should leave.

"This is not the end for you James," she said, "For you, it's just the beginning. Just you wait, oh the adventures you'll have – we'll have."

He smiled, but she couldn't help but notice the sadness in his eyes. She wondered briefly if he had suspected his time would come to an end at some point in her enduring life. Perhaps that had been why he had been so accepting of his demise in Bhalasaam. He had seen the time approach in her eyes, in her. He had seen her change and evolve into the woman he had met in the past, the woman from the future. And he had known his time was almost up. She once again marvelled at her ability to hurt those she loved most dearly. Her side was a dangerous and often deadly place to be.

"Of that I have no doubt, my dear," he said. Their eyes met and she smiled softly.

"Helen, we really must..." Nikola said, trailing off and nodding to the device which was glowing insistently.

"You," James said, clutching her hand in a most improper manner for the time they were in, "I shall miss."

The words caused her heart to clench. She had lost this man twice now, both times he had uttered those words to her.

She didn't trust herself to speak as he dropped her hand. She walked back to where Nikola stood, his hand replacing where James's had been before, as they stood in the appropriate position for where the node was poised.

Before she had time to dwell on how much she detested losing her friend twice, she felt the familiar sensation of being dragged through space. It was almost the same as the feeling of teleporting with John. They landed with a graceless thud on the pavement, limbs mixed up with each other's.

"Ow," Nikola moaned. "I really never thought I'd say this, but John's teleporting seems civil compared to that!"

She smirked, but quickly got to work disentangling her legs from his. He pouted and she rolled her eyes.

"We're still in the Victorian Era, Nikola," she pointed out, taking a furtive look around. "We established it was a teleportation device, not another time-travel one."

Nikola wrinkled his nose and sprang to his feet, brushing his jacket off with a look of distaste at the mere thought of all the germs that could have accumulated from the dirty pavement.

"If you don't mind...?" Helen said, a little miffed. Nikola looked at her quizzically.

"Oh," he said, holding out a hand to help her up. She rolled her eyes.

Usually, she would never want to ask for help. But she found herself unused to the heavy dresses she had worn in her youth. They were cumbersome to say the least. At least when she'd been a comparative young thing, she had known nothing else. But now that she'd experienced a much more practical style of clothing (particularly in her line of work) she really found it much more trying.

"Where do you suppose we landed?" Nikola said, looking around now that they were both standing and not in a compromising position should someone happen upon them.

It was night-time, probably right in the dead of night judging by the dark curtain of sky that engulfed them. It made it much more difficult to ascertain their current location.

"We're not in London anymore," she surmised. Anyone else would have likely asked how she could tell, how she could be so sure. But Nikola instantly picked up on her line of thinking. They'd always been good at finishing each other's sentences, and thoughts.

"It was bordering on dawn when we left," he nodded. He physically turned around now, making an almost full circle. Suddenly he grinned.

"What, what is it?" she said.

"I know this place," he said, grinning almost wolfishly now.

They were in some sort of forest or park, that much she'd deduced from the trees and foliage, but how he'd managed to figure anything beyond that she had no idea. He nodded to something and she turned to see a bridge. So it was a park then.

"Come now, ljubav," he said, "Don't tell me you don't recall _that _landmark."

She fought the blush that threatened to creep onto her cheeks, suddenly very thankful of the darkness. Memories of their scandalously improper behaviour on that very bridge came rushing forth.

"We're in my romping ground now," he grinned, "the Big Apple."

He opened his arms out wide in a dramatic swipe as he said it, a grin plastered on his face.

"Have you suddenly forgotten about the madman hell-bent on destroying the timeline?" she said. His smile disappeared and he frowned at her.

"Yes, yes, there's that too," he said, "You could have let me have my moment, Helen." She laughed and patted his arm in mock comfort.

"Ooh maybe I can go and spy on you and see what young Mr Tesla got up to," she grinned, only too happy that it was his turn.

"You'd be disappointed, my dear," he shrugged, "Work, mostly."

"I wonder how he'd take a surprise visit from an old friend," she said, purely teasing.

"Whatever happened to not messing about with the timeline?" he retorted.

"Turn-about is fair play," she stated simply, with a little smile, as she began to walk off, knowing he would follow. He paused, before rushing after her.

"Wait... you weren't serious, were you?" he said, frowning when she didn't reply. "Helen...?"

He wasn't sure his poor younger self could handle the woman he was still pining over so desperately breeze into his life again. Not when the pain of her choosing Druitt over him was still so fresh.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey my pretties! As usual, I doll out my inappropriate love on to all of you. You have no choice. Feel the love! *ahem***

**Also, this chapter is dedicated to Adria626 for completely making my week!**

\||\\

By the time they'd reached the outer-rim of the park the sun had risen high enough to cast a brilliant orange-yellow glow about them, one which Helen had to admit was rather spectacular. Casting her own fiery glower at Nikola – for she was sure he had deliberately led them along the very same route their younger counterparts had used to flee from the bridge years ago – she headed out up the remainder of the slightly sloped path to the street.

The streets of New York, like the early morning streets of pre-twentieth century London, were already alive and buzzing with action. Nikola stood at the edge of the path on the precipice between park and city for a moment just watching. A grin had planted itself firmly on his face, one which warmed her heart to him just that impossible little bit more. As he had said before, New York had been his romping ground – the playground of the eccentric yet brilliant Nikola Tesla.

It had been so different in those wilder, and more unsure, young days at Oxford. By now in their past timeline, they had come into their own – both as scientists and as people – and had been making their place in the world. She had remained true to her roots, delving eagerly into the dark, edgy and adventurous plains on the fringes of science in England. Whereas he had explored the revolutionary fields of electricity in the similarly revolutionary landscape of New York City, the city of lights itself.

"Ah," Helen said, a thought born out of her line of thinking, "I may have thought of something that could be potentially problematic."

"What could possibly be problematic about this?" Nikola grinned, opening his arms and welcoming the New York air. "We're in New York City, at the turn of the century Helen – _again_."

Helen rolled her eyes and gave him an exasperated, pointed look.

"Well, of course," he said, waving a hand absently, "There _is _the psychotic time-travelling madman to deal with, but what's a good adventure without one?"

"Honestly Nikola, sometimes I could -," she began to say, but her comment was cut off by a man's voice.

"Nikola, Nikola Tesla?" the man said – and thus there was the problem that had occurred to her.

"Oh, that," Nikola said, finally flitting back to reality from his joyful bliss at being back in New York.

"Yes, _that_," Helen responded.

"So good to see you," the man said, now sure it was Tesla, and came over to offer his hand. Nikola glared at it. Obviously, though, the man was familiar enough with Nikola to know about his germ-phobia – or at least his distaste for shaking hands – as he just chuckled. "It certainly is you then."

Helen watched Nikola carefully, and she could tell his mind was whirring frantically trying to place the man in front of him.

"Joseph Baxton," he said, suddenly, his eyes lighting up momentarily in recognition. Helen tried to remind herself they were in the presence of someone else, not to mention someone from Nikola's past, as she felt herself react to the way Nikola had slipped back into his old Serbian accent.

"Worked through the night again, have you?" the man said conversationally, then eyed Helen with a sly half-grin, "Who's your lady friend?"

Nikola bristled momentarily at the look Baxton was giving her, but complied. It would do him no good to hit the man, not when he thought he was the nineteenth century Nikola Tesla. He had always had a habit of getting himself into trouble, but he knew that even his past self would question being brought up on charges he had not committed.

"Joseph Baxton, this is _Dr _Helen Magnus," Nikola introduced. He couldn't recall if the man had ever met Helen in passing on one of her visits to New York in the future, so he decided it was safest he settle for her real name. Of course, judging by the thoroughly amused look being thrown at him from Helen's direction, his over-use of emphasis on her title had not been altogether necessary.

"And it just got a little more intriguing," the man said, greeting Helen with a chaste kiss on the hand. "Tell me, for my curiosity is piqued now, what were the two of you doing in the park so early in the morning? The sun has barely arisen. Is it some top secret project you're working on?"

He seemed genuinely excited by the prospect and Helen looked at Nikola in bafflement. Nikola chuckled.

"Joseph is an investor," he explained.

"And an enthusiast," Joseph beamed, "This man always comes up with the wildest ideas. I met him when he did a demonstration in Madison Square Garden with his radio-controlled boat. It was one of the most fantastic things I've ever witnessed."

It clicked in Helen's mind. She herself was familiar with Mr Baxton's breed of patron – rich, with more inherited money than they knew what to do with, and youthful enough to wish to invest it in something they believed was revolutionary enough to change the world. They could be very useful, until the cynicism of the world replaced their eagerness to fund new and exciting but outlandish ideas.

"He can be rather fantastic," Helen agreed, offering Nikola a little smirk. Nikola felt himself stir at her comment, but willed himself to remain focused on the exchanged and not way her eyes seemed to catch the light so magnificently where she was standing.

"Well, I won't keep you two from whatever you're working on," he grinned. Helen suddenly noticed just how youthful he looked. Or perhaps she was just getting that old. "I'm rowing this morning. I'm sure I'll see you around, Nikola."

Nikola nodded, almost impatiently, but Helen suspected the man was used to the inventor's manner.

He bid farewell to Helen also, with a broad smile, and the hope that he would be seeing her again. He headed off then, but not before another chaste kiss to her hand.

"Idiotic, puffed up little weasel," Nikola hissed, once Joseph had strolled off.

"Nikola," Helen laughed. "He seemed pleasant enough."

"He was flirting with you," Nikola ground out.

The very stern expression on Nikola's face coupled with the seriousness of his words only caused Helen to laugh harder. He was glaring after the man as though he had just committed a dire offence which, she supposed he had in Nikola's books by daring to flirt with her.

"If you're quite finished?" Nikola said, sourly, as Helen's laughter finally died down somewhat.

They were earning quite a few odd glances from the passersby on the street, and not just for her rather odd leather attire. She supposed they must look rather bizarre, with Nikola glowering impressively and Helen overcome with a fit of giggling.

"Nikola, really," she said, "Do you think I'm just going to run off with some barely-of-age young thing at the drop of a hat after everything we've been through?"

"Well when you put it like that it sounds ridiculous," he pouted.

She patted his cheek affectionately, wondering at how this man had so firmly ingrained himself in her heart.

"I'm famished, let's go and find some breakfast," she said, spontaneously.

She really ought to be more concerned about Adam, but right now all she wanted to do was pretend like they were a normal couple and go and get breakfast with him. Nikola smiled, aware their proximity was causing people to stare once again, but not really caring. She smiled brightly back at him and firmly weaved her arm into his, pulling him along. Nikola wasn't sure where this lighter side of her had emerged from, usually mission-Helen was single-mindedly focused and fiercely determined, but he never could deny her anything.

|\\||

Her impulsive desire to dine with him was soon put on hold by their joint realisation that neither of them had any American currency. James had provided a sufficient amount of the English currency, however they had not foreseen making a cross-continental shift. She supposed they should have considered it as a possibly, but that was all useless now. Nikola had so helpfully suggested that they mug someone in an alleyway.

"Nikola," she uttered, pulling away from him and stopping in the middle of the street. They were disrupting the thin flow of people on the footpath, and earned a few annoyed glances. "We are not stealing from someone unnecessarily."

Honestly, sometimes it was akin to putting one's foot down in disciplining a child, dealing with him.

"Why ever not?" intoned Nikola, "isn't there some ridiculous saying about not really having experienced the great city of New York without being involved in a mugging?"

"I believe the saying relates to the experience of the passive party," she said in exasperation, "not actually initiating one."

"Don't be so literal, Helen," he said, waving a hand, then grinned in that way that always made her nervous. "Well, then I guess that's that and there's nothing more to do but go and guard our favourite bridge – you know, from all the muggers, of course."

"Oh, of course," she said, indulging him with a smirk, "But what, pray tell, does 'guarding' our bridge entail exactly?"

"Well," he said, feigning thought, "In this era, I think we'd scare people and their stuffy sensibilities away quite sufficiently by making out."

"I had a feeling it might," she smirked, then frowned. "Why are you smiling at me like that?"

"You just referred to it as 'our bridge'," Nikola said, bright grin in place on his face. Helen shifted.

"So did you," she said.

"Oh, no, no," he shook his head, "you are _not _worming your way out of this one, Helen Magnus, I said 'our favourite bridge'. _You _said 'our bridge'."

She opened her mouth to protest but stopped, and his grin only widened.

"Don't let it go to your head," she muttered.

"The depths of your sentimentality touch me, Helen," he teased, placing a hand over his heart.

"I'm very seriously contemplating shooting you, how's that for sentimentality?" she retorted.

"Will you shoot me on _our _bridge, Helen?" he continued. She huffed and his grin turned to an affectionate smile. "One day, once we've figured out how to return to our own timeline," his voice was soft and serious now, "I'm going to marry you on that bridge."

Helen froze, not knowing what to say. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, as her mind whirred at speeds that would rival the fastest of Henry's computers. Had that been a proposal from him? True, it had been more of a statement, an ambiguous one, but would she have expected anything less from Nikola Tesla? She pushed aside the tingling warmth spreading through her body from her heart – though she was sure he'd seen the flickering of a gentle smile on her face before she'd had the chance to mask her features.

"You're awfully cocky about that," she challenged. He watched her knowingly, and she found herself shifting once again.

She couldn't help but feel he could see right through her. Through all the dark twists and haunted layers accumulated in her long life-time, past the skeletons, the murkiness carried from times she had not been proud – all the way to her heart. She'd kept it locked away, buried so deep, for so long. Yet, somehow, in that one blue-grey gaze he was able to shatter al of those long fortified defences in a way no one ever had. He'd always been very good at picking locks and breaking into things without a key, and her heart was apparently no exception.

"Yes, well," she breathed, still a little affected by his insistent gaze, "First things first. We shall hardly have the chance to figure out how to return home and get married on our bridge if we don't find and stop whatever plot Adam has been concocting."

Nikola grinned, following as she spun on her heel and continued walking along the New York footpath like she owned the place. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought Helen Magnus had just agreed to marry him. To hell with Adam Worth and whatever chaos he was brewing in his twisted little mind, Nikola couldn't remember ever feeling happier.

\||\\

Helen had decided that their best course of action would be firstly to obtain some money. Not by Nikola's means of mugging (unless they were really desperate) but by trading their pounds for dollars at the bank. Nikola had grumbled, of course, that she'd so callously overlooked his _brilliant _and much more enjoyable idea. But, judging from the ridiculous smile he'd been sporting ever since their abrupt conversation in the middle of the street, he hadn't really been committed to his whining. The poor teller exchanging their money had still looked half-frightened to death at Nikola's dark mutterings. Still, altogether it was better than someone like him being almost fully frightened to death in some dark alleyway with a vampire demanding his money.

The second order of business – one which they'd both agreed on – was to procure a hotel room. Nikola, of course had wholly agreed with the suggestion simply because they would be in a room alone...with a bed. She'd rolled her eyes out of principle, but hadn't missed the slight race of her heart-beat as he'd said it.

They'd chosen a modest hotel in a respectable but not too expensive part of the city. They'd decided to forgo the usual 'left alone' part of the city. Not because they felt uncomfortable being there – hell, they both probably felt more in their element there – but because of that fact. These 'seedier' parts of the city were usually the abnormal hotspots, and Helen couldn't risk being seen there. Though her past-self would not be establishing the New York Sanctuary for a few years now, there was always risk of running into an abnormal she had (or would) encounter. That being said, abnormals by nature were generally more accepting of people's privacy and the need for discretion – because as the outcasts of society they'd had to be – but it was still better to play it safe.

Using a false name – Baumslager, naturally – they'd checked in. Helen had, however, had her grievances about using his favoured alias. That wasn't exactly being discreet when it was also past-Nikola's favourite too. But she hadn't really had time to fret with Nikola all-but dragging her, with as much propriety as he could muster, up to the room.

Once inside the modest room however they'd stood rather awkwardly for several long beats. Helen walked away from the bed to look out the window, she could see the street a few stories down, with people milling about and going about with their days. Carriages lined the streets echoing with the familiar sound of hooves. It was a sound she had grown up with, and one that was achingly like home. She'd forgotten how much she'd missed that sound until it was no longer around.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she hadn't even noticed Nikola come up that close behind her. "New York."

"Yes," she breathed, turning to face him. "I'm beginning to see why you were so fond of it."

"Beginning?" he said with an almost quizzical pout. She smiled.

"It's just too easy to rile you up sometimes, Niko," she said, placing a hand on his chest.

"Isn't that my line, ljubav?" he said, their faces inching closer and closer. She smiled as their lips crashed together.

In their frenzied kisses, they made their way to the bed, collapsing on top of the sheets. Hands ripped at clothes – and not for the first time she inwardly cursed the constrictive clothing of the era – as tongues duelled fiercely, passionately.

For the first time, all of Helen's worries about their current predicament, and all of her doubts and insecurities about them together just melted away. Everything was so clear in that she loved Nikola and she knew that this was right.

\||\\

**Uh-uh I know what you're all thinking. Though I may write an outtake for their sexy-times if I have some time. ;) **

**Also, random side note, no idea where the hell Joseph Baxton came from – or his weird interest for Nikola's work. Just go with it.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey my lovelies! **

**So, yes, I know it's been a while. But, as I said in Telepathic, real life has been a bitch lately. :( **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Also, I know people wanted a sexy-times Teslen outtake to this and one may still be forthcoming, because I really don't want chartreuseian to eat me. It was quite amusing the amount of people who threatened me with this... **

\||\\

A wicked shot across his face, like a brilliant bolt of lightning as he gazed out of the window. His plan was all falling into place, even better perhaps than his genius mind had set it up to unfold, which was saying something. Helen and Nikola – much as they had always been his favourite of the Holy Five – were predictable in their madness. Bickering like an old married couple, insufferably close, distracted by each other so much so that the vampire was able to derail even the great Helen Magnus's mind from her path.

He'd only accounted for Helen to follow him back in time – knowing from the time old Johnny, mad dog he was, had betrayed him by running off back to his mistress with tail between legs. Druitt may be no match for Adam Worth, but Helen Magnus was as close to his rival as ever there was one. The Holmes to his Moriati, an amusing analogy considering the company she'd kept.

But Tesla being present was proving to be not only amusing but also useful. The vampire kept her mind so distracted that Adam was able to more thoroughly enjoy himself. And why shouldn't he? He'd saved his daughter and now he could manipulate the world to his image. No one, not even Helen Magnus, was going to stop him.

"Father?" came the angelic intone of Imogene from behind him.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Adam said, turning, his gaze and disposition both softening. His daughter always had been the one and only thing he truly cared about, the person he would do anything for.

"I don't feel so well..." Imogene said. She did look a little pale, her skin whiter than her usual complexion and her eyes dark-rimmed.

"It'll just be the after-effects of the medication as it works through your system," Adam soothed, theorizing this was the reason for her continued weakened state.

Imogene nodded, her eyes so full of trust.

"Why don't you go and lie down for a bit?" Adam suggested, "Then when you're feeling better, we can go and explore the great city together – just like I promised."

She nodded eagerly this time, smiling. This proved to be sufficient motivation as she scuttled off to the other room to lay down and rest diligently.

||\\|

Helen lay in Nikola's arms, sated and content, feeling a delightful haze washing over her. His fingertips traced her arm languidly – up and down, up and down – and she felt herself slowly hypnotised by the sensation. She craned her neck to look up at him, and found his blue-grey gaze waiting for her.

"Not thinking of calling on Mr Braxton still, are you?" he teased.

"The thought of me doing so was your irrational concern, not mine," she pointed out, stretching out her body. This elicited a low growl from Nikola, and she laughed softly, deliberately squirming against him.

"Keep that up, ljubav," he threatened, "And I shall have no choice but to invoke an action for permanent bed-stay."

"Oh?" she said, amused, "And how, pray tell, do you propose to _make _me stay in bed?"

"A true magician never reveals his secrets, my love," he said with a wink.

She stared at him in wide-eyed amusement, recalling a time so long ago when he'd said those exact words to her. The thought prompted a chuckle from her. They'd been in quite a similar position to what they were in now, although clothes had all been present and accounted for (and then some considering the conservative era). They'd been cuddled up in her bed, scandalously. Only, he'd had a moustache then, and had exaggerated his Serbian accent. She'd dissolved into fits of giggles at the sight of his moustache twitching comically. He really had looked like a circus magician as he'd said it.

"Are you laughing at me?" he feigned hurt.

"Don't be so ridiculous, Nikola," she said, pausing, then continuing, "Ofcourse, I'm laughing at you." He scowled.

"Mean woman," he said with a practiced pout.

"I thought you loved it when I was mean?" she said.

"Not _all _the time," he said in an overly dramatic tone. "For instance, I should quite like you to be at least civil to me when you're cuddling up to me."

"Oh, and now you're implementing requests as to my disposition?" she said, rolling half-over, and placing her hands on his chest to rest her chin there. "And what do you mean when _I'm _cuddling _you_?" She glanced down to where his hands very firmly encased her waist. "I daresay I couldn't find my way out of this if I tried."

"The great Helen Magnus, admitting defeat?" Nikola grinned, "My word, this is a good day."

She frowned.

"You're not going to go back to being mean to me, are you?" he said.

"You're a romantic at heart, Nikola Tesla," she said, eyeing him, "No matter how much you try to hide it – on the inside you're gooier than the venom of a hallucinogenic squid."

"How very...poetic of you, ljubav," he said. "The imagery that your words conjured up is just...astonishing."

She fixed him with an amused smirk and smacked his shoulder. He tightened his hold on her waist.

"Oh no, I don't like that smile," she said, eyeing him cautiously. "That was the smile I saw right before you first lit James's cravat on fire – while he was still wearing it."

"I'm going to cover you in my hallucinogenic squid-venom-adjacent love," he said.

"Oh Dear God," she uttered, "What monster have I unleashed?"

"A devilishly good looking and frightfully brilliant one," he replied.

"Not to mention one who is _frightfully _full of himself," she said.

"Has anyone ever dared tell you that you can sometimes tell the corniest jokes?" he smiled affectionately.

"When you've been around the block as many times as I," she reminded him, "Everything is clichéd."

"Around the block?" he said, propping himself up on his elbow, "My dear Helen, we've been around the block so many times we'd have worn out our path in the ground. I daresay we've not only been round the block, but through the forests and the mountain sides and -,"

"You're really bleeding that analogy dry," she remarked.

"Was that a vampire joke?" he queried. She shrugged innocently.

"Well, it was you who took it as one, Niko," she said, "Not I. I never stipulated that it was one." She battered her lashes over those disarming blue eyes of hers, effectively quelling any further disagreement from the smitten vampire.

"Teasing harlot from Camden," he uttered, shaking his head.

"Only for you, Nikola, only for you," she said, more sombrely than her previous tone.

She shifted on the bed, worming away from his grasp. He pouted as he watched her squirm a few inches across the bed. The small gap seemed much too large for him – she was a whole arm's length!

"Don't give me that look, Nikola," she intoned, catching his mournful gaze, "I'm positively famished. Which I blame entirely on you, in case you were wondering."

"You weren't exactly a passive participant," he eyed her.

"Is that a complaint I hear?" she said as she gathered her clothing which lay scattered in an alarmingly haphazard fashion around the room. She frowned when she found her shoe resting innocuously atop the wardrobe.

Walking over to the offending piece of furniture, wrapped in a sheet, she tilted her head back to glare at her shoe. Upon Nikola's chuckle, she spun around and offered him a glare. He was laying lazily on his side on the bed, his elbow supporting his head, as he regarded her coolly. She crossed her arms – or at least did the best impression of crossing her arms as she could in her attire – and let out an exasperated huff.

"Are you going to make yourself useful, or do you intend to remain laying on the bed watching me struggle?" she said in clipped tones.

"Oh, I most fully intend to remain in my current position," he drawled, "You see, Dr Magnus, I have the most advantageous viewpoint of this alarmingly sexy woman who seems to have found herself in somewhat of a pickle." She rolled her eyes at him, more an instinctive response than anything.

"Bastard," she accused.

"I didn't hear any complaints from you, ljubav, when we were engaging in the _activity _that rendered said shoe stranded atop the wardrobe," he said.

"Wardrobes do seem to have become a pattern for us of late," she commented.

She was considering how best to retrieve her shoe when she felt Nikola beside her. He'd moved from the bed so quickly she hadn't even noticed until his unmistakable presence engulfed her needy senses. She was disappointed to find he'd put his pants on before joining her, it seemed rather obsolete at this point.

"Finally decided to offer your assistance?" she said lightly.

But when she turned to him it was not his smirk nor his smug grin that greeted her, but a sombre expression.

"Ssh," he said, grabbing her wrist with his hand as he stood still, listening.

"Nikola? What is it?" she whispered. Whenever Nikola stood perfectly still, there was cause for concern. Particularly, but not strictly limited to, when Helen Magnus stood before him clad only in a sheet.

Her answer came more swiftly than any response from him could have come, as she heard the door lock click open. Her eyes widened and she instinctively tightened hold on her flimsy garb. Nikola pushed her away with roughness she usually would have reprimanded him for as he strode past her to the door, eyes blackening as he did so.

The door swung open just as he stopped in front of it, ready to fight off any intruder who dared come forth. The first man stopped abruptly as he straightened up where he'd evidently been leaning over to pick the lock, and his eyes widened momentarily upon seeing Nikola standing before him. He soon regained his composure as he raised a handgun straight at Nikola's chest and took fire. The two bullets found residence in Nikola's chest, but did not deter the vampire, it only made him angrier.

He reached out and swiped at the man with an extended claw, catching him across the chest in retaliation in one brutal swoop. The man grunted and fell. His companion's eyes widened in almost comical horror as they took in his dead compatriot, before he raised his own gun and tried to shoot down the vampire. Nikola raised his hand to swish at the man but his efforts were not needed, for two bullets from Helen's own gun had him joining his companion on the ground. She never had been one to stand back and watch a fight.

Nikola didn't hesitate once their unwanted guests had been disposed of, turning to her, his lips twitching upwards at the sight of her dressed only in a bed-sheet bandying a weapon. Their eyes met, and enemies be damned, she was half ready to take him right then and there on the floor.

"There'll be more," he said eventually. She nodded. Locating a decent assembly of clothes was much quicker this time – though she did have to forfeit on appropriate undergarments – as she scrambled about the room. By the time she was done, Nikola too had pulled on his shirt.

Her hand found his more out of instinct as she reached the door to join him where he waited for her, her other hand clutching her gun. Nikola peeked out of the hotel room door and, finding the hallway empty, crept out with her in tow. The pair made a move toward the stairs.

Helen started a little as one of the hotel doors swung open, but quickly concealed her gun amidst her skirts, as an elderly couple emerged. Helen and Nikola stood sheepishly, hand in hand. She mused that they must have looked like deer caught in the headlights. The couple surveyed the younger and, more stringently, dishevelled pair in unveiled shock. The woman shook her head in disgust and tutted to the man as they walked off.

"Some people have no sense of propriety," she said, clacking her tongue.

Helen elbowed Nikola in the ribs as he grinned at the comment.

"Come on," she urged, tugging his hand as she began to move again in the direction of the stairs. He kept grinning as he followed. "Don't look so smug, it's not like our dishevelled state of appearance is for the reason they think. Not wholly anyway."

"Face it, Helen," he smirked, "It's not as if we displayed much propriety in our behaviour back at Oxford either. Or ever..."

"You are aware that I'm holding a gun?" was her only response.


	17. Chapter 17

**As always, thank you so much for the amazing responses. I always smile like an idiot when I get a new review. I'd jump through the computer screen and give you all a big hug if I could. :)**

\||\\

Creeping slowly down the stairs, Helen kept her gun firmly in her practised grip. She knew how to play this, she'd snuck out of hotels in situations such as these with alarming frequency. Many of those times also somehow seemed to involve Nikola. It wasn't so much that she blamed him; it was more due to the combination of the pair of them that proved so explosive.

Glancing back at her vampire she could tell he was thinking something along the same lines, probably reflecting upon previous situations that resulted in them fleeing hotel rooms.

She paused, her foot held poised above a stair as she heard a faint creaking noise. She looked back at Nikola once more, who nodded, indicating he too had heard the sound. He leant over the railing to peer down the staircase, before straightening up. Somehow, he'd ended up standing much closer to her than he had been before. She marvelled at his ability to shift ever-closer to her even when in such a precarious position as they were now.

"Two men," he relayed softly. "Both armed."

She nodded. She was ready, whether it be a fight of gun or of fist, she was always ready.

The pair continued their descent, careful not to make a sound. Nikola was eerily quiet due to his vampiric abilities, and Helen had become well practiced in stealthy movement in her many years.

The men were making their way up the stairs, none too subtly either.

"I thought you said this was going to be easy?" one of the men said in a gruff American accent.

"That's what that Worth fellow said," the other responded with a grunt.

"We ought to ask for a raise when we're done," the first complained, "These two are more trouble than we're being paid for."

The other man chuckled in agreement.

"Well, we've heard that one before," Nikola breathed against her ear from behind. Helen grinned. Indeed they had.

Helen stopped on a ledge they reached, waiting for the unsuspecting men to reach them. When they did reach the flight of stairs right before the ledge Helen and Nikola stood on, they didn't notice the vampire and the armed woman until it was too late.

"Really, could you speed it up a little?" Nikola drawled, standing with a hand impatiently placed on his hip. "I don't like to be kept waiting."

"Wha -," one of the men said, eyes going wide with shock. He was cut off with Helen's elbow knocking him out cold in a well-placed strike.

"Nikola, could you please just get on with it without the showmanship?" she said. Nikola grinned.

"You look so sexy right now, ljubav," he said.

The other man was standing before them, seeming at a loss for what to do. His eyes went from his companion to the woman who had rendered said man unconscious, to the vampire standing there.

"Please, don't kill me!" the man said, fear lacing his tone.

"Pathetic," Nikola said. Helen smiled at the enjoyment she could tell Nikola was garnering from scaring the poor man with his darkened eyes and deep voice.

"You were sent by Adam Worth?" she inquired.

"Yes, yes!" the man said, cowering, "Worth, that was his name. Told us to take care of the pair of you and we'd be paid for it."

"The others," Nikola said, "They were with you too?"

The man nodded.

"We made a plan," he said, information flowing freely like red wine in Nikola's lab, "If they didn't come back in fifteen minutes, we'd come up and finish the job."

"Sorry to tell you," Nikola said in amusement, "But I can't really see that happening. Helen?"

"No, I daresay you shall not be completing your mission," she agreed with a nod.

"We could consider sparing your life though," Nikola said, feigning thoughtfulness, "If you'd just give us a little bit more information."

"That's all I know!" the man insisted.

"Where can we find Worth?" Helen demanded.

The man shook his head.

"Look Lady, I don't know," he said, "The guy arranged it all with my boss, came up to him. I have no idea where he is, I swear!"

"He has no loyalty," Helen said, "There's no reason why he should protect Adam."

"He's useless," Nikola agreed.

"What...no...please!" the man said.

"Oh, relax," Nikola said, "We're not going to kill you, you pathetic simpering human. The nice lady here is just going to help you off to sleep..." Helen grinned at Nikola.

The man looked confusedly at Helen, but before he could process the thought, was met with her fist. Nikola gazed down at the two unconscious men.

"Fancy a quickie on the stairs?" he said, looking back at Helen. It was an incredible turn on to see her disable two men like that with one strike.

"Behave, Nikola," she said. "Or I shall have to help you off to sleep too."

\||\\

Imogene coughed violently, her arms shaking as she tried futilely to hold herself up. Shakily, she collapsed into a heap on the sofa, her hands trembling.

"Imogene!" Adam said, rushing around his workbench to where his daughter now lay.

"I don't feel so good, father," she croaked. "Is it still the medicine?"

Adam pressed a hand to her forehead, her temperature was high. He didn't understand. This shouldn't be happening, she should be getting better not worse.

"I feel so cold," Imogene said. Adam took her small hand in his own.

"It's alright, Imogene," he crooned, pulling the blanket that had been hanging over the back of the sofa to cover her, "It's all going to be alright, just go to sleep now."

The young girl closed her eyes, attempting to sleep as her father had told her to. She must have been weaker than she had let on, for she was off to sleep within minutes. Adam stood once her breathing had evened out, a deep frown settling on his features. He began to pace furiously about the room.

He'd administered the Praxian cure. She should be healthier than she'd ever been. Instead, here she was, her health diminishing along with what was left of his sanity. This could not be happening. He'd done all of this for her, to save her, what was it all for if he couldn't save her?

A quiet rapping on the door broke him from his reverie.

"Enter," he barked distractedly.

"Mr Worth," a nervous looking man said as he entered the workroom. His beady eyes darted about anxiously, catching sight of the frowning man.

"Well, what is it?" Adam said, having no patience for the bumbling of idiots barely worth his time.

"It's the vampire and the woman," the man said. "They...they got away."

Adam spun to face the man, the concern for his daughter being momentarily replaced by rage.

"You lost them?" he spat.

"Y-yes," the man said. "But you said it wouldn't be that hard. You said we'd catch 'em by surprise. I lost two of my men, and two more are injured!"

"Incapable fools," Adam hissed. Then he paused, glancing over to Imogene – his sweet little Imogene – thoughtfully. "The plan has changed."

"What?" the man said.

"Find them," Adam ordered, "But don't kill them. I need them alive, at least the woman. Bring her to me alive."

"They were hard enough when trying to knock off!" the man exclaimed, "How do you suppose we bring 'em in alive? I ain't gonna be losing more men over this!"

"I'll make it worth your while," Adam muttered, absently, "Besides, I may just have the answer to how to bring them in alive..."

He walked over to his work-bench, eyes alight. It wasn't ready yet, not really. He hadn't had the chance to properly test it. But it would have to be. He needed Helen Magnus to figure out what was wrong daughter, and she was going to do it. Then he could figure out how to deal with her and her vampire devotee.

\||\\

"Nikola, I'm not so sure you know where you're going," Helen said, after about half an hour of being dragged about the city.

"Well, if we're lost then at least we'll have lost anyone who may be tailing us," Nikola reasoned. "Which we're not, by the way – I know exactly where we are."

"Oh?" she said, "And where, pray tell, is that?"

She stopped in the street, a little back alley kind of street, hands on hips.

"Somewhere in the general New York area," he said, looking only the slightest bit sheepish. She rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you deliberately do these things to provoke me," she remarked.

"You _do _look incredibly hot when angry," Nikola said.

"Don't test me, Nikola, I'm not in the most favourable of moods," she warned, "Being chased out of bed by a group of hired thugs is not how I like to spend my time."

"Aw, admit it Helen," Nikola said, "You're just mad you didn't get to spend more time in bed with me."

She rolled her eyes again, but this time it was more a matter of principle. She wouldn't give him the kind of satisfaction that came with knowing he was right.

"You love the rush, Helen," Nikola continued, while swivelling on his heel in an almost full circle trying to figure out which way to take. "You always have."

"Maybe I'm just a little bit tired of 'the rush'," she bit out.

He looked over at her curiously. Never in all the years that he'd known her had she expressed distaste for the thrill of an adventure. The spark in her eyes had always taken the heat out of any complaints she may have. They both thrived off the thrill of adventure, needed it in some ways. No matter how fed up with life they both got, fighting and exploit had always been the remedy.

"Helen?" he said.

"For once," she said, "Maybe I'd just like to be able to breathe. I'd just like there to be no life and death situation, no crazy madman on the loose, no people at clawing at me all the time... I just want to spend time with the man I love."

He softened at the last part, her voice trailing off almost nervously and her eyes darting away. It was curious, he wasn't used to her acting so shyly around him anymore. Perhaps sometimes back at Oxford, but they'd both been barely more than a bumbling pair of nervous kids, so he hadn't really noticed.

"Helen, my love," he said, stepping closer to her and taking her hand, "I promise you, once this is over, we shall find a nice little quiet spot and it'll be just you and me for as long as you can stand me for. Believe me, once I get you alone I am not letting you go."

She laughed softly.

"I know, Nikola," she said, "It just seems never ending."

"We have forever, ljubav," Nikola said. "You're probably going to be begging me for space before long, just you wait and see. I'm not jesting when I say I'm going to be by your side."

"Oh, Nikola," she sighed, "I love you, and I'm sorry I never told you sooner."

He squeezed her hand affectionately. Suddenly, a wide smile lit up his face and she eyes him suspiciously.

"What is it?" she said.

"I just realised where we are," he grinned proudly. She laughed, shaking her head at his childish enthusiasm.

"Alright, come on then," she said. "The sooner we stop Adam, the sooner you get to have me all alone."

"In that case," Nikola said, "I may just stand in the middle of the city and scream for him at the top of my lungs. Or perhaps I should just go door to door..."

Helen laughed and pushed him along the street as he continued to list off all the ways he could find Adam more quickly.


	18. Chapter 18

"If you've somehow managed to get us lost again…" Helen muttered, letting the implicit threat trail off as she sent him a pointed glare.

"Of course not," Nikola replied, jovially.

"Let's not play this game again," she replied, her annoyance from moments ago dissipated in effect by the amusement in her tone.

"Helen, my dear Helen," he shook his head, almost clucking his tongue, "How could I possibly have lost us again when we never quite managed to find where we were?"

"As much as I'd love to argue with you," she said, "I can't really fault your logic on that; though I can still fault you for losing us in the first place."

"I'm confused as to what you're holding me at fault for," Nikola remarked, eyeing a man who seemed a little too interested in Helen with a stern look as they him passed by.

"The great Nikola Tesla, admitting to being baffled?" she teased, "My, this is a day riddled with firsts!"

"Wait," Nikola said, stopping abruptly. Helen was forced to stop too as they'd been walking with her arm linked in his.

"Let me guess, we're walking in circles?" she asked.

"No," Nikola said, shooting her a filthy look, to which she merely grinned. "I really do know this place."

"Nikola, if it was your intention to stop for some lewd purpose you could have just -," she said.

"Hel-_len_," he drew her name out in an exasperated huff. Well, at least now he knew a small fragment of her pain in dealing with him over the years. "Look." He added.

"Yes, I can see that it's an apartment building, Nikola," Helen remarked, "However, I'm afraid I don't see what you find so overwhelming fascinating about it."

"Just wait a few moments and perhaps you will, ljubav," he returned.

She looked at him in abject confusion before turning her gaze back to the slab of apartments that rose above them.

"Bloody hell," she said, finally realising what he meant, "Really, Nikola, of all the places your subconscious had to lead you!" She smacked him on the arm and he pouted.

"Helen, you can't be mad at me for something I did subconsciously," he said, as though he were the authority on her emotional responses.

"Oh, I reserve that I can be if it means you led us to your old dwellings," she said, extricating her hand from the crook of his arm and placing both hands on her hips for emphasis.

"Please," he drawled, "I'm probably not even home; no doubt still at my lab."

"Well that is very true," Helen conceded. "But we should probably leave before we run into a younger version of…you."

"Afraid of being faced with too much temptation?" he grinned, leaning toward her.

"Too much frustration more like," she muttered. "One of you is quite enough for me, thank you very much."

"I'd be only too willing to help alleviate you of all those pent up frustrations, Helen," he said.

"How very kind of you," she remarked, dryly.

"I do have my moments," he said.

"Could you possibly have your moment somewhere other than here?" she said, grabbing his hand with an eye roll and effectively dragging him down the street and away from his former residence.

"You know," Nikola said, thoughtfully, "This really isn't fair, we got to talk to your counterpart. This would be less like messing around with the timeline and more like balancing things out."

"Nikola, running into past-me was purely accidental," Helen sighed, "and we're lucky we managed to convince her…me… that you were…you in the past."

"That's got to be one of the most bizarre sentences I've heard you say," Nikola said.

"Bloody time travel," Helen said, shaking her head as they turned the corner.

||\\|

From a safe distance – they'd heard what had happened to their colleagues earlier this morning – two men ambled down the busy street. Their only slightly rugged attire allowed them to blend into the crowd efficiently; they were used to playing hunter.

"Think they're stopping for a bit of sight-seeing?" one man chuckled, nudging his companion as they watched their targets halt in the middle of the street.

"Not much of a sight," the other shrugged, eyeing the tall building that seemed non-descript in a city such as this. "The lady on the other hand," he grinned, "Now, _she's _a sight."

"Hey, focus, Reg," the first man said with a scowl, "You heard what the boss said these folks did to Jimmy and the others. They're the dangerous kind."

"Yeah, but with this weapon he gave us," the second man said, "We could have 'em knocked out with time to spare. I'm sure the lady would be more willing to play along if her friend there is in danger."

"We get 'em and we deliver 'em, Reg," the first man said sternly. "I don't fancy answering to that Worth fellow if something goes wrong."

The other man mumbled under his breath but followed as his companion began to move again, pushing himself off the lamppost he'd been casually leaning against as they regarded the couple ahead. Their targets were on the move again.

Grinning as they turned the corner, the pair of men sped up in their footsteps; not enough to alarm anyone but enough not to lose their pursuit. Upon rounding the corner, the first man grinned as he saw the man they'd been chasing turn into another corner. It led to a smaller street, a back alley really. This was the perfect opportunity.

"Looks like we won't have to wait much longer after all," he said to his companion. The other man grinned as they hastily made their way to the entrance of the alley.

"I reckon this leads to the back of that building," Reg said.

"Get the weapon ready," the other nodded, "We don't want to be caught off guard."

Reg complied, retrieving the small gun-like object that Mr Worth had provided them with. It was unlike any weapon either man had ever encountered or heard of and, in their trade, that was an oddity in itself. It was silver, some sort of metal, with a curved hand-hold. Instead of a trigger, there was a button they'd been instructed to push. They'd only need one well-placed shot. The pair had briefly considered packing it in on this job and disappearing with the weapon but, not knowing the first thing about how it worked, they'd scrapped the idea.

Reg glanced at his companion, Martin, when they spotted the man ahead. He was walking quite slowly, almost distractedly. The woman was nowhere in sight, however.

When close enough, Reg aimed the weapon toward the man's back. As his finger came down on the button he prayed it would work.

Both men stumbled back, eyes wide, as a blue beam shot forth from the tip of the weapon. It struck its mark, right on the man's back. He froze, his body tensing, before collapsing to the ground in a heap. Reg and Martin stared in horror at the body on the ground ahead, then looked at each other, smiles creeping over their faces slowly.

"That was easier than I thought," Martin said, glancing in awe at the silver object in Reg's hands, before looking back to their captive. "Quick, we don't know how long it'll last, let's get him to Worth's lab."

"What about the woman?" Reg said.

"We'll have to come back out and look for her later," Martin shrugged, "He could wake up any moment, better we get him there now."

Reg paused before nodding his agreement. However powerful this weapon, they didn't know how long its effects would last and he didn't fancy taking his chances with this man who had struck down so many of his colleagues.

|\||\

Adam grinned fiendishly as he entered the room where his hired hoons had taken Tesla. He'd been annoyed and fuming with rage to learn they'd only half succeeded, bringing back an incapacitated Nikola Tesla only. He needed Helen more. But, after careful consideration, he realised this too could work in his favour. It would lure Helen to him, like a fly to honey. She would never leave her precious vampire in his hands; she was far too selfless for that, that was one thing about her he could always count on.

Tesla sat strapped to a chair, his binds of course vampire-proof restraints. There was a brown cloth bag over his head and Adam chuckled, shaking his own head. The hired muscle never changed. He approached the chair where the vampire sat, hands tensed and half-clawed. He was alert now and Adam could tell the vampire could hear him. He made his footsteps deliberately slow just to keep up the suspense.

Tesla was wearing a light tan suit with waistcoat, reminding Adam strongly of their times at Oxford. It seemed dear Helen and Nikola had fully gotten into the spirit of this little jaunt through time. They were probably even enjoying themselves. They could thank him later; right now he had work to do.

Adam grasped the bag covering Tesla's head and, with a grin, removed it. He looked down at the man's face, his smile wavering slightly. Something wasn't right.

"Worth?" Tesla spat, eyes boring into Adam, "Adam Worth?" His brow was creased in confusion as he took in the man in front of him. "What the hell are you doing in New York?" he demanded.

Then he smirked. "I always knew there was something off about you."

Adam could have screamed. The bloody idiots had brought him the wrong Tesla!

\|||\

**I couldn't resist bringing young Tesla into the fold. We got to have some young Helen didn't we, so it's only fair... (Nothing to do with my desire to play with little innocent *cough* Tesla). **


	19. Chapter 19

**I am so sorry! I posted the wrong chapter 19! Thank you to seiyuurabu and Dancing Eyes for pointing this out to me! The chapter I had up was chapter 19 of one of my older stories 'Terrified of Perfection' and since they both start with T and were 19 I hadn't labelled them very well. This is the real chapter 19...:P**

**||||\**

"He_len_," Nikola whined.

"What is it, Nikola?" she snapped.

"We've been walking around for hours," Nikola pointed out. He'd stopped walking, staring at her petulantly from he stood. He reminded her of a small child who'd had enough and was refusing to move.

"Really, Nikola," she sighed, "Remind me, how old are you?"

"I don't know," he said, "You remind me how that's supposed to work with time travel."

She sighed deeply. She really hated time travel. As fascinating a concept as it was, the complexities it created along the way far outweighed the benefits. She remembered having a similar conversation with James many years ago. She briefly wondered if it had been somewhat inspired by his own experience, having met the older version of herself.

"Don't be deliberately difficult, Nikola," she opted for chastising the vampire instead of arguing with his logic – it had always been the method which worked out better for her.

"Once again, I will remind you who's brilliant idea it was to follow Adam," Nikola said.

"Yes, it was a _mutual _decision," she crisply stated. She was not going to take the blame solely for what was sure to be an 113 year headache for both of them.

"I suggest we find someplace to rest," he said, placing on hand on his hip.

"Do you recall the last time we 'found someplace to rest'?" she said.

"Yes, I believe I do," Nikola responded, "We took down several of Adam's minions after having mind blowing sex. I'm not exactly seeing the negative there."

"You're incorrigible," she sighed.

"You love it," he grinned. "It's going to get dark soon. I know you love lurking in dark alleyways and sewers hunting your beloved creatures, but I've been told I ought to bathe more often."

"You choose _now _to start listening to me?" she asked incredulously. "Your timing is, as usual, impeccable."

"Good, since that's all settled," Nikola said, "I suggest there." He pointed vaguely behind her and she twirled around. As she turned back, she narrowed her eyes. It seemed like a perfectly normal hotel, nothing too overt but not seedy either.

"Have you just been attempting to wear me down to the point where I'd relent?" she said.

"You do get rather stubborn," he commented, beginning to move again. She sighed again before following after him.

|\\|\

Once in their hotel room (checked in of course as a married couple, but to Nikola's utter glee), Helen decided to quickly bathe. When she emerged from the bathroom, she panicked momentarily at finding Nikola absent. She knew there had to have been a reason he hadn't insisted on joining her in the bathroom.

She read the note he'd left on the bed, heart warming at the sight of his scrawl. He'd gone out to find a few supplies. She quickly redressed as fully as she could, still regretting having to leave some items at their previous lodgings.

She was standing by the window admiring the sight of old New York City. It truly was a marvel, even then, perhaps even more so. The door opened and she assumed it was Nikola returning.

"I didn't expect you back so soon," she said softly.

"Hope you weren't waiting up."

Helen froze, and turned around quickly, her heart racing. It was most certainly not Nikola standing there but none other than Adam Worth.

His voice held an unmistakable maniacal tone. It was that slight tinge of madness in his voice that distinguished him so clearly from his younger counter-part.

"Adam," she remarked coolly as the madman stepped further into the hotel room.

"Really, Helen, such hostility," he said, shaking his head, "I'm wounded. You used to have such good manners."

She looked around cautiously, scouting out anything she could wield as a weapon against him. She silently cursed not having her gun on her person. Where was Nikola? What was taking him so long? She hoped he'd be back soon.

"I'm afraid that being hunted and attacked dulls the sense of propriety somewhat," she said.

"Look at you now, Helen," Adam said, "All guns and cynicism. Losing a child does that to a person, doesn't it? See, that's something we have in common, you and I." She bristled, her jaw clenching, but refused to rise to the bait he offered.

"I wonder," Adam continued, "what young Mr Tesla would think about what his beloved little Miss Magnus has become? I'd be very interested to find out."

Helen felt her heart speed up, her eyes widened, when she pondered what he was implying.

"See, that's why I like you the most, always did, of your little group," Adam said, "You're quick. Nothing get's past you."

"What have you done to Nikola, Adam?" she asked, sure now he somehow had or had influence over young-Nikola. She was not in the mood to play these games with him.

"Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?" he flashed her a grin.

"What do you want from me?" she asked.

"Let's make a little deal, shall we?" Adam said, "You come along with me – without those weapons not fitting of a lady – and you can see your precious Tesla again. If not, well, we'll get to see first-hand what would happen to the Nikola from our time if I got rid of this one. The choice is yours."

Helen's heart was racing. She couldn't let him harm Nikola, either Nikola.

"Alright," she said, "We have a deal."

"See how fun this is?" he grinned, "You and me working together? We make a good team. Much better than those others you insist on surrounding yourself with. We understand each other."

Helen twisted her lips. She couldn't help but feel she'd just made a deal with the devil.

|\||\

Nikola hummed to himself as he walked up the stairs to their hotel room. He'd decided against the elevator, enjoying climbing the steps and absently counting them as he did so. He had a bag slung over his shoulder with some useful supplies, as well as some food items he knew Helen would enjoy. He also had a change of clothes for them both. He was, not for the first time, glad he'd spent so many years in New York learning where to go to find sometimes bizarre items with no questions asked.

In his right hand, he held a bouquet of red roses. He'd passed by a street vendor and hadn't been able to resist. Just imagining the look on Helen's face when she saw the blooms was worth it. She'd always loved flowers. He remembered with some bitterness how John had used to buy flowers of significance back when he'd been courting her at Oxford. She'd enjoyed fussing over them.

He reached their room feeling happy. Sure, they were stuck a hundred odd years in the past, but he was with Helen. He'd spent those a hundred years in his other timeline pining over her anyway.

He entered their room, calling out to her. She wasn't in the main room so he placed his bag down on the bed and looked around for her. He poked his head in the bathroom and frowned. She wasn't there. His heart started racing. He searched for a note, all the while knowing there wouldn't be one. Her gun was still laying on the vanity in the bathroom.

He knew in an instant it had something to do with Adam Worth.

Nikola let out a growl, throwing the flowers across the room and watching without satisfaction as the petals fluttered to the ground like little droplets of blood. He had to find Helen. He wouldn't lose her, not now.


End file.
